35 and 86 took part. The diverse group
showed the full range of different
communication difficulties associated
with aphasia.
The team used a person-centred
approach with participants to increase
their confidence in communicating in
everyday situations. Tricia Mitchell,
Joint Therapy Lead, explained: “The
aim was to encourage everyone to
feel comfortable in using a range of
communication methods – speech,
writing, drawing and gesture. Some used
low-tech tools such as pen and paper
whilst others shared their skills with more
high-tech gadgetry such as iPads.”
Technology is increasingly being used
in clinics to support more traditional
speech therapy activities and to
encourage self-directed home exercises.
To help participants gain experience of
using specialist technical programmes,
the therapy team offered daily practice
on react2.com, an online computer
therapy programme. Read more about
react2.com in the next story on this page.
Participants had the chance to try
different activities such as role play –
for example, proactively making phone
calls – as well as participating in art and
music therapy. There was also a talk
on exercise after stroke provided by
physiotherapy experts in the University.
The aim was to help people explore
different ways of communicating so
that they had more options to help them
communicate better. A wide range of
individuals took part, including QMU’s
reception and catering staff, which gave
real-life opportunities for practising and
improving communication.
An important element of the programme
was the involvement of relatives and
friends of the participants. Amanda
Bennett, Joint Therapy Lead, said: “We
do not communicate in isolation. It was
essential for the longer term impact of
the project that communication partners
were an integral part of the programme.
We offered opportunities to learn more
about aphasia and ways of supporting
their partners’ everyday communication
whilst encouraging their independence.”
Positive feedback from participants
confirmed that the team had offered
an effective approach to the therapy
sessions and there was a demand
for further opportunities in the future.
Course participants found that the
camaraderie developed through the
group approach was particularly helpful
with one individual saying: “It was
liberating – nice to know I’m not in this
space alone.”
This unique programme also presented
an outstanding learning opportunity
for QMU speech therapy students.
Jocelynne Watson, Principal Investigator
on the project from QMU, explained, “In
addition to helping improve people’s
quality of life, this project gave eight
speech and language students an
excellent therapy placement directly
under the supervision of the two joint
therapy leads. This provided students
with an interesting and alternative
placement to those offered within the
NHS. In addition, a new internship, as
part of the programme team, gave a
newly qualified speech and language
therapist much needed experience to
support her future career development.” S p e e c h i nter n
helps commercial
company improve
online therapy tool
Michelle Brogan, Service Lead Adult
Community and Rehabilitation Speech
and Language Therapy Services, NHS
Lothian, explained: “This model focuses
on key fundamentals related to functional
communication and self-expression,
and encourages peer support and
communication partner participation. It
is innovative and has potential to address
some key gaps within existing speech
and language therapy services.” The React2.com website offers
8,000 speech and language therapy
exe r c i s e s , s o m e of w h i c h w i l l
be designed to help adults with
aphasia. Lucy worked with Propeller
Multimedia Ltd on sections of the
website dedicated to understanding
sentences – an area with which
people with aphasia often struggle.
The pilot evaluation (www.qmu.ac.uk/
icga) demonstrates a strong argument
for QMU and partners to hold further
communication therapy programmes
in the future, thereby extending much
needed support to more people affected
by aphasia. The programme highlighted
fur ther research and development
opportunities and future funding is now
being sought to expand this important
area of work.
Dr Fiona Coutts, Dean of School of
Health Sciences at QMU, said: “This
project highlights some extremely
impor tant outcomes. Fir stly, the
model was the result of a scoping
exercise to ensure that the programme
complemented existing services in the
NHS and voluntary sector for people
with aphasia. This has allowed us
to develop our partnership working
with current health services. In terms
of interdisciplinar y working, this
programme has been a triumph. It has
brought together specialists from speech
and language therapy, music and art
therapies, and physiotherapy to provide
a lively and stimulating experience for
participants. Finally, the project is an
outstanding example of how people
can be empowered to take more control
over their illness and help direct their
recovery.”
Dr Coutts concluded: “Our sincere
thanks go to the Headley Trust for
funding this progressive project and to
the Forth Valley, Lothian and Borders
Health Boards for their support. Their
assistance has allowed us to work
together to make a positive contribution
to people’s quality of life.” ❒
A
QMU SPEECH INTERN
has helped develop an
online interactive speech
and language therapy tool for
adults who have communication
difficulties.
Lucy Charrington, a speech and
language graduate, worked with
a leading provider of specialist
software to improve a rehabilitation
programme. The software programme
called React2.com allows adults to
benefit from an online speech and
language therapy package that they
can use in their own homes. This
helpful online tool allows individuals
with speech problems to build therapy
sessions into their daily lives.
Thanks to the suppor t of a
Santander Internship, Lucy spent four
months meticulously working through
sections of the website – analysing
data, identifying problems and looking
at how the rehabilitation exercises
could be made clearer and more
effective for the user. Patients using
React2.com are able to work through
a series of different levels allowing
them to become more proficient in key
areas such as completing sentences
and semantics.
Many of the adults, who participated
in the intensive communication group
for people with aphasia at QMU,
were able to try out the React2.com
software for the first time.
Lucy said: “This unique internship
p r ov i d e d m e w i t h c o m m e r c i a l
experience, allowed me to work with
other researchers, and involved me in
the development of an online learning
tool that will ultimately help to improve
the lives of people with speech and
language problems.” ❒
QMYOU / / Health & Rehabilitation / Focus on Speech
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