“I think some of the people around Kathy weren’t even sure she was all there…and so they often did things around her, for her — but didn’t really consult with her. So, after I moved in with Kathy, my goal has been to help give Kathy back her agency. Her Lingraphica device has been a very helpful support.” – Scotti Kluess, Kathy’s sister
Reclaiming autonomy after 7 years of living with aphasia
After moving in with her sister in 2024, Scotti felt more strongly than ever that Kathy deserved to have more of a say in her everyday life.
A stroke in 2017 had left Kathy with severe expressive aphasia. It was very difficult for her to speak — even though she could understand what others were talking about around her. Kathy still had so much to say. She just couldn’t get the words out easily.
As a result, Scotti noticed something that really bothered both of them:
“I think some of the people around Kathy weren’t sure she was ‘all there’…and so they often did things around her, for her — but didn’t really consult with her.”
So, when Scotti moved in with Kathy, she knew her #1 goal was to help her sister share what was on her mind and reclaim her ability to make choices about her own life.
Starting over with aphasia therapy and a new AAC device
Kathy had attended speech therapy after her stroke, but eventually her family’s life grew busy, and her progress stalled. She’d even gotten a Lingraphica AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device back in 2018, but hadn’t been able to use it much.
Now that it was 2024, Kathy and Scotti decided that revisiting aphasia therapy with a new speech-language pathologist (SLP) could be just what Kathy needed. They also learned that her 6-year-old Lingraphica device was eligible for an upgrade! This meant she would have the latest technology to help improve her communication.
A Lingraphica device with Legacy software (like Kathy’s, from 2018) vs. the new Lingraphica device with 2024 Hub software.
With a new Lingraphica device and SLP on board, the sisters began to work together toward goals that would put Kathy back at the center of her own life.
First up?
Preparing for a meeting with Kathy’s lawyer, where she needed to advocate for herself and the ways she wanted to communicate with her power of attorney (a trusted person managing financial and/or legal information).
Kathy used AAC to advocate for herself inside the legal system
With some help from Scotti, Kathy prepared several different messages to share with her lawyer.
Ultimately, Kathy used these messages to tell her lawyer and power of attorney (POA) that she wanted to be kept up to date on all conversations others were having on her behalf. Even if the information was difficult to hear, she always wanted to be informed. Over the years, Kathy had sometimes been left out of the loop…and that was not okay!
Because Kathy can now use her Lingraphica device to communicate, her lawyer can officially include Kathy’s wishes as part of their legal decision-making process. Her voice matters — and finally, it truly carries weight.
How AAC has helped Kathy rejoin conversations — even with aphasia
Kathy’s progress with AAC hasn’t stopped! With support from Scotti and her SLP, she’s become more fully involved in the book club and meditation sessions in her community.
In the past, Kathy wasn’t able to say much beyond “yes” or “no.” For example, if someone asked her if she liked the audiobook she’d listened to, she could answer — but after that, any attempts at conversations quickly fizzled out.
With her Lingraphica device, conversations have opened up beyond single-word answers!
And now, Kathy is also able to use her Lingraphica device to share her love of stories with her great-granddaughter. Her aphasia makes it very difficult to speak on her own — but she can more easily repeat words after a model.
So with help from her SLP, Kathy and Scotti created a personalized visual scene display featuring each page from the book, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”.
Kathy can now tap a word, listen to her device, and repeat. This lets her read every page aloud.
Today, Kathy is no longer on the sidelines of her own life. With her Lingraphica AAC device, she can participate more effectively in conversations and make her thoughts known — whether she’s meeting with her lawyer, joining a discussion at book club, or reading to her great-granddaughter.
For Scotti, this change has been just as meaningful. Instead of guessing what Kathy might want, she can now ask — and hear the answer directly.
AAC hasn’t changed who Kathy is. It’s made it possible for others to finally see her more clearly.
After years of being spoken around, Kathy is once again part of the conversation — where she belongs.
