After a stroke left him with both receptive and expressive aphasia as well as apraxia of speech, Josh Stevens found hope, connection, and empowerment — with help from his Lingraphica TouchTalk and the unwavering support of his wife, Sarah.
Before Lingraphica AAC: A Life Interrupted
Josh Stevens, 48, of Alabama, was a thriving entrepreneur before his stroke in August 2024. As the owner of a tele-optometry business, communication was at the heart of his success. But after the stroke, Josh was diagnosed with global aphasia. Over time, with a lot of hard work, he regained some language skills — but was left navigating life with receptive aphasia (often called Wernicke’s aphasia), expressive aphasia, and apraxia of speech.
“When you don’t know the words and you can’t even say the words… that’s an awful feeling,” Josh said.
Simple needs — like asking for help, understanding questions, or expressing pain —became complex, frustrating, and exhausting for both Josh and those around him.
His wife, Sarah, remembers how difficult those early days were: “This device would have been so incredibly helpful and cut down on so much of the communication frustration that was felt not only by my husband — but myself and the rest of his medical team and caretakers.”
How Josh Discovered His Voice Again After a Stroke
Eight months after his stroke, Josh received his Lingraphica TouchTalk (a type of “communication device” or “AAC device”) and combined its technology with Android’s free Live Transcribe app. This was a turning point in his recovery.
Josh shares,
“I’m so grateful for my tablet, because any word — if I could start it — then I could see the word, and then it would talk to me, and I can try to pronounce the word. I use it daily. It’s my lifeline.”
Josh uses his Lingraphica TouchTalk and shares how he uses the Live Transcribe app with Faye, a Lingraphica SLP and Senior Clinical Technology Consultant.
While Josh was initially unsure if AAC would be helpful for him, a guided session with Lingraphica’s At-Home training team revealed just how powerful the device could be.
Josh uses his Lingraphica TouchTalk and shares how he uses the Live Transcribe app with Faye, a Lingraphica SLP and Senior Clinical Technology Consultant.
Josh smiled,
“When you guys showed me my tablet, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s a whole different world for me.”
Sarah couldn’t agree more:
“The earlier these devices can be introduced to the patient and their families, the better for quicker recovery during the most critical time period of healing. Every single stroke unit should have one ready for each patient who wakes up with aphasia.”
A Fully Customized AAC Experience That Led to Real-Life Results
Josh now uses his Lingraphica TouchTalk every day to support his communication, independence, and language recovery.
In everyday life, he:
- Relies on his AAC device to help him understand what others are saying and respond with clarity
- Uses his customized Talk folders in the device to coordinate pick-up times or to share weekend plans — like going fishing with his son
Josh shows how Lingraphica’s Talk app helps him communicate.
As part of his home exercise plan for speech and language recovery, Josh:
- Practices with built-in articulation videos to improve his motor planning for speech
- Uses the Live Transcribe app and built-in Text Highlighting to support comprehension
- Looks forward to joining others in Virtual Connections, Lingraphica’s free online community for people with aphasia
And the benefits Josh has noticed since beginning his AAC journey are backed by research:
AAC can improve language recovery after stroke (Dietz et al., 2020; Hux et al., 2006)
Visual-verbal pairing strengthens receptive language and understanding (Doyle, et al. 2019).
Spoken device output provides a model for speech that people with aphasia or apraxia of speech can repeat (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013)
As Josh puts it: “With pictures, words, and sound — now I have a complete experience. And that was missing before.”
A Message of Gratitude to SLPs — and Words of Wisdom for Others with Aphasia
Josh and Sarah reflect on how far he’s come, both expressed deep appreciation for the speech-language pathologists who made a difference during his recovery.
“All I can say is thank you to all of the SLPs that work in the aphasia community,” Josh said.
“These people are always compassionate. Relearning everything is taxing… but I’m thankful.”
If you or a loved one is thinking about trying AAC, Josh has one thing to say: “It’s a lifeline. It completes the picture. It helps you connect everything.”
And Sarah reminds us — the earlier families can access this kind of support, the better:
“This device should be in every stroke unit. It makes all the difference in the world.”
Lingraphica Can Help
During a free 30-minute consultation, we’ll help you and your loved ones find exactly what you need to meet your specific communication goals.
We’ll help you to better understand your condition, offer simple strategies for communicating more effectively, and discuss communication and therapy devices and apps that can really help. Call us at 888-274-2742 or click the button below to schedule a consultation.
Beukelman, David R., and Pat Mirenda.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Supporting Children and Adults with Complex Communication Needs. 4th ed., Paul H. Brookes Publishing, 2013.
Dietz, A., Weissling, K., Griffith, J., & McKelvey, M.
“AAC for Adults with Aphasia: The Gap Between Consumer Needs and AAC Research.” Augmentative and Alternative Communication, vol. 36, no. 3, 2020, pp. 171–182.
https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2020.1780076
Hux, K., Buechter, M., & Wallace, S.
“Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication to Promote Functional Communication in Adults with Severe Aphasia.” Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, vol. 15, no. 2, 2006, pp. 7–11.
https://doi.org/10.1044/aac15.2.7
Kagan, Aura, et al.
“Training Volunteers as Conversation Partners Using ‘Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia’ (SCA): A Controlled Trial.” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, vol. 44, no. 3, 2001, pp. 624–638.
https://doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2001/051)
