Strokes often affect seniors’ speech, which can make communication challenging. Fortunately, there are communication aids available to help stroke survivors communicate. Before making a purchase, make sure to check with your senior loved one’s insurance provider to determine what your loved one’s policy will cover.
Communication Boards
This is a low-tech and easy-to-use option for a senior who is unable to communicate with spoken language. Your loved one can point to a word or picture on a board to indicate his or her needs. Seniors will find this intuitive to use with no learning curve, and it’s ideal for seniors who are unable to write.
There are a variety of age-related health conditions that can make it more challenging for seniors to live independently. However, many of the challenges they face can be easier to address if their families opt for professional senior home care. You can rely on expertly trained caregivers to keep your loved one safe and comfortable while aging in place.
Text-to-Speech Apps
Seniors can use apps such as TalkTablet to communicate. This app is a digitized version of a communication board, and the user’s tablet speaks for him or her. Once the app is set up on your loved one’s tablet, he or she can use it fairly easily.
Wearable Microphones
Sometimes a stroke will weaken the muscles a person needs to speak, making his or her voice hard to hear. A wearable microphone amplifies speech and gives your loved one peace of mind that he or she can be heard.
Having a caregiver close by can give your loved one even greater peace of mind. If your senior loved one needs hourly or live-in care, Potomac Assisting Hands Home Care can help. Our caregivers can assist with exercise and mobility, prepare nutritious meals, provide timely medication reminders, and help with a wide array of other important daily tasks.
Whiteboards
Another low-tech device stroke survivors can use to communicate their needs would be a simple whiteboard with a marker. A whiteboard allows seniors the most creativity if they wish to express ideas in words or pictures, and unlike other options, there’s no learning curve.These devices can stimulate cognition and make communication easier for senior stroke survivors, and so can hiring a trained in-home caregiver. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Potomac families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. For more information about our flexible, customizable home care plans, call one of our compassionate Care Specialists today.