Banner Boswell’s Aphasia Support Group begins in January
SUN CITY, Ariz. (Dec. 28, 2011) – A new support group at Banner Boswell Medical Center in Sun City aims to offer hope to people living with aphasia, which is often the inability to express words and sometimes the inability to comprehend words, usually resulting from stroke or other forms of brain injury.
Banner Boswell's Aphasia Support Group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 10 to 11 a.m. in the hospital's Ponderosa Room on the second floor of the Support Services building, 13180 N. 103rd Ave. The first meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 10.
It's estimated that one million Americans suffer from aphasia, which can range from mild to severe. The condition does not affect an individual's intelligence, rather it affects the ability to communicate and articulate language.
"The words are clearly formed in the mind, but the ability to move it from there to an articulated sentence is gone," said Judith Darrh, volunteer facilitator of the support group. "Loss of speech is devastating and frustration is a constant. Imagine losing your ability to communicate even the simplest thoughts, like asking, 'Where is the restroom?' saying 'I love you' or even answering 'yes' or 'no.'"
Because recovery is ongoing, joining a support group can be a valuable resource to patients and their spouses or loved ones, said Barbara Huber, MA, CCC-SLP, a Banner Boswell speech-language pathologist who provides outpatient speech pathology services. “Support groups can deliver all kinds of benefits – helpful hints, medical insight and information, and a new social network with others who share a common problem. Stroke and brain injury changes lives instantaneously, but with effort and commitment a new and rewarding quality of life can be found and enjoyed."
During the first meeting of the month, a Banner Boswell speech-language pathologist will be in attendance to offer professional advice, education and assistance, and answer survivor and caregiver questions. The second session on the fourth Tuesday of each month will be a casual social event encouraging conversation in a safe, encouraging and non-threatening environment. All aphasics and their caregivers are invited to join and share in this valuable recovery tool.
For more information, contact Judith Darrh, volunteer facilitator, at (623) 972-4263 or via email at lynndarrh@yahoo.com.
About Banner Boswell Medical Center
Banner Boswell Medical Center, located at 10401 W. Thunderbird Blvd. in Sun City, is a 501-bed campus specializing in neurosciences, heart care, cancer care, stroke care, orthopedics, acute rehabilitation, skilled nursing and emergency care. Supporting Banner Boswell’s mission of excellent patient care is the Sun Health Foundation, which encourages charitable giving to support the hospital. Banner Boswell is part of nonprofit Banner Health. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com/Boswell.
Contact:
Lisa Guinn (623) 832-5704
