What is Aphasia?

By superadmin | November 24, 2016 |

Caregiver in Hazlet NJ

As a family caregiver you are likely to encounter a variety of potential challenges in your care journey with your senior. Some of these are fairly easy to overcome.
Others, however, can impact your parent’s daily functioning to an extensive degree, creating a much more challenging situation for your senior loved one and for you as their caregiver. Understanding these risks and what you can do to help your parent overcome them is essential to giving them the care that they need and preserving your relationship as they age in place. One such challenge is known as aphasia.

Aphasia is a condition characterized by compromised ability to communicate. A senior who is suffering from this condition may not be able to speak effectively or understand spoken language, or might have difficulty writing or understanding written language. This means that your parent might not be able to form spoken language to express themselves properly or they might not be able to understand when someone speaks to them. On the other hand, they might not be able to take the thoughts in their head and write them down, or be able to read and understand something that is written in front of them. This condition has nothing to do with intelligence and is not considered an indication of cognitive decline, such as is present with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.

There are several instances when aphasia might occur. These include:

Following a stroke
Following a head injury
Due to the growth of a brain tumor
Due to the progression of a degenerative brain disease

The extent of the aphasia depends on the severity of the damage to the brain, as well as the area of the brain that is directly impacted by the damage. While this can be a devastating condition for your parent and for you, there are ways that you can help your loved one deal with it and continue to maintain their quality of life. The first step is getting them a proper diagnosis and identifying the specific cause of the aphasia. From there the doctor can help you to move forward with a course of care, management, and treatment that is right for your elderly parent.

If your aging loved one is suffering from a condition such as aphasia and you believe that they would benefit from additional support and care, or your caregiver role has become stressful and you need additional help, now may be the ideal time for you to consider hiring a care provider. Home care is a wonderful way to ensure that your aging parent gets the personalized care and support that you want them to have and that you know they deserve. It also enables you to take a step back from the pressures and stress of the care so that you can give energy and attention to other tasks and obligations in your life, while still knowing that you are their primary source of care and support. Through this personalized care you can feel confident your loved one is getting everything that they need while still being able to take care of your children, your home, your career, and yourself.