February, 2011
A Happy Caregiver – A Happier Life
by Lori Cavallo on February 23, 2011
Mom & Lori at Christmas 2006
Anyone who is a caregiver of a family member or friend knows that what affects your loved one also affects you. Some illnesses or disorders are easier to manage than others. For many, the patient is affected the same way and there is a proven treatment. But for those of us caring for a loved one who suffers from Aphasia, there is no one place to go to find the answers.
The first challenge we deal with is that Aphasia comes in many forms. There is Expressive, Receptive, Transcortical sensory and Nominal aphasia just to name a few. The next challenge is that even when two people suffer from the same type, it can manifest differently from patient to patient, leaving everyone feeling alone and at a loss for answers.
I was a caregiver to my Mother for eight years. She survived a massive stroke and along with severe right side weakness, she had Expressive aphasia. Mom would say “do do do” in sentences and think she was speaking words. In the beginning, we tried everything from speech therapy to acupuncture, with only minimal results. The frustration and aggravation mounted as we realized she wasn’t getting any better. Continue reading the full article
Computer Mouse, Trackpad, Trackball, Keyboard… Which One to Use?
by Ognjen Todic on February 16, 2011
Curious cat and mouse
In our previous post “What Headphones to Use?” we talked about computer headphones, and compared a couple of different models, especially in regards to the needs of stroke survivors. Another important aspects of the computer-based aphasia rehabilitation is the control of the computer and the software. That’s were a computer mouse comes to play.
All modern computers and “graphical” operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) support computer mouse as an input device. Using the mouse, users can move the cursor on the screen, click on desired buttons or links, and initiate various actions on a computer.
People with aphasia typically have mobility problems with their right hand, which may make it difficult to use a computer mouse. If use of the regular mouse presents difficulties, there are several alternatives that may work better for people with aphasia: Continue reading the full article
What Headphones to Use?
by Ognjen Todic on February 9, 2011
Ear Buds
Here at Aphasia Corner our goal is to provide computer-based services for speech rehabilitation for people with aphasia. In line with that goal, in the next couple of months we plan to address several computer-equipmet-related topics on our blog. Today we’ll start with headphones, and in one of the next post we will compare a computer mouse to a trackpad.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve spent some time observing people with aphasia using the first feature of our service; this feature presents news stories in an aphasia-friendly way. Continue reading the full article
Skype Settings
by Tom Devine on February 2, 2011
In my previous posts, I introduced Skype, told you how to install Skype, and gave you basic instructions on how to use Skype.
In this post, I want to walk you through the various options you have for starting Skype on your PC, and the features you can control from the Options window.
This post will deal with:
- Startup options
- Accepting or rejecting an invitation from another Skype user
- Text chatting
- The difference between text chatting and SMS (text messaging)
- Using the Options window