How One Woman with Aphasia Reclaimed Her Independence Using Her Lingraphica AAC Device
Mary Morel’s life changed in an instant when a stroke in 2015 left her with aphasia.
Suddenly, even saying her name or phone number aloud felt impossible.
But, Mary had always been independent. And she was determined to continue living life her way — even with aphasia.
Mary first tried a Lingraphica “augmentative and alternative communication” (AAC) device in 2016. She quickly got the hang of creating messages that her device would speak aloud for her. Anytime her speech felt “stuck,” she could turn to her Lingraphica AAC device to communicate on her behalf or help her find the words she wanted to say.
While ~44% of stroke survivors depend on their families for help with daily activities, Mary’s AAC device has helped her live at home independently for years (Nuriswati, Halfens, & Lohrmann, 2022).
Keep reading for a few real-life examples and videos of how Mary uses her AAC device — a Lingraphica TouchTalk — in everyday life.
Using AAC to Listen to the News and Radio
Like so many of us, Mary likes to start her day by catching up on the news and listening to her favorite local radio stations.
Aphasia can make navigating media sources difficult, but Mary has successfully turned her AAC device into a one-stop shop for staying connected.
In the video below, you can see Mary chatting with speech-language pathologist, John Smyth, during one of Lingraphica’s free AAC user communication coaching sessions. She tells John about how she uses the web links feature on her Lingraphica TouchTalk to keep up with the news — and of course, her favorite classic rock station, 96.3 XKE:
Mary also uses her TouchTalk to play music and access the news through her Amazon Alexa!
Alexa’s technology requires voice commands to work, and Mary’s TouchTalk is set up to manage them perfectly:
Using AAC to Independently Manage Medications
Remembering long medication names and discussing them with your doctor can be difficult for anyone — especially someone with aphasia. Mary uses the Media app to take photos of each of her medications and keep them organized using her AAC device.
“I love the pictures,” she shared.
Being able to take photos of her medications and add them to her AAC device gives Mary and her family peace of mind. She can discuss her medications with her doctors and always knows which pills to take.
Here’s an example of a medication page, inspired by Mary’s:
Using AAC to Order at a Restaurant
Like everyone else, Mary found herself craving takeout from her favorite restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, new safety measures — like plastic barrier screens and masks — made it harder than ever for her to communicate.
So, she took matters into her own hands and added her favorite food orders to her AAC device!
In the video below, Mary shares during a free Lingraphica communication coaching session how her device is set up to help her order at her favorite Vietnamese restaurant.
Using AAC To Live Life Independently With Aphasia
Determined to stop aphasia from stealing her independence, Mary has embraced AAC to help her do everything from keeping up with current events to ordering at her favorite restaurant.
Mary’s success was driven by her commitment to adapt and thrive, and it was amplified by customization assistance and communication support from Lingraphica. Her story is a powerful example of how you can overcome aphasia’s biggest challenges with perseverance, creativity, and a little help from AAC technology.
If you or a loved one have a communication diagnosis like aphasia, we’re here to help you find a path to greater independence and better communication.
