Hi Georgie,
Is your dad seeing a speech pathologist and/or occupational therapist? They will be able to provide advice on the most appropriate apps, taking into account your dad’s language strengths/weaknesses, cognition and vision. I would recommend speaking to them prior to making any purchases.
Here are a few app ideas for people with aphasia:
Here are a few memory apps/programs that other stroke survivors have found useful. I can’t guarantee the quality of any of them but feel free to have a look and see what you think:
In terms of crossword puzzles, you should be able to buy a book of puzzles from your local news agent. Again, I’d suggest speaking to your dad’s therapists about the most appropriate puzzles to purchase.
Please don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any other questions (1800 787 653),
All the best,
Lisa (Speech Pathologist for Strokeline)
Hi Georgie,
This might interest you, it isn't just apple, it's android too. Good luck to your Dad.
Cheers,
Adrian.
Thanks Adrian
Hi Georgie
Great idea you have to ask on Enableme about help for your Dad.
My suggestion doesn't involve an app or any technology and you may already be doing this.
Does anyone read to your Dad? Is this something you think he may like? Reading with expression and care.
I hope you find something useful amongst the suggestions.
Sue Bowden
Thanks so much Sue. Good tip!
Hi Georgie
I had a stroke 4 years ago (age 62). With lots of physical rehab I have improved dramatically. Something many people may not be aware of, for me, is the effect of sensory overload on the brain - and I am not talking Rock Concerts! eg if there is one sound - tv, radio, traffic, vacuum cleaner, washing m/c. etc. near me, I struggle to concentrate on what a person is saying to me, and sometimes I struggle to just think. Noises and lights can also deplete me. So see if your Dad needs his quiet space and needs time to digest conversations. I live alone so it is manageable.
Two things which helped my brain get itself sorted were FREE online Jigsaws. - http://thejigsawpuzzles.com/ is an easy starter, (there is no time limit and you can adjust from simple to complex). And when I improved I went to, and am still enjoying www.jigzone.com/.
For some reason my brain still gets enormous satisfaction from doing jigsaws online, and I know it helped strengthen my eyesight, identifying shapes etc. Having improved somewhat I then signed up to FREE Facebook Scrabble. You can choose your level of competence, and again there is no time limit, plus there is a dictionary alongside. I am now a wiz at the Scrabble!
Reading was a bit too much of a strain at first., however, there are some great books you and your Dad can read, "My Stroke of Insight" J. Bolte Taylor and Barbara Arrowsmith "The Woman Who Changed Her Brain". You can check out both on You Tube. These books both gave me relief because they described my experience. They also gave me so much hope and incentive for healing my damaged (shocked) brain. I believe our brain is in shock from stroke and can be changed. I know over time I have changed my brain.
All the best to you and your Dad,
regards Julie
Hi Georgie,
Not sure if this will be helpful but it helped me and i really hope it can help your dad. I didn't have full paralysis to my right side but i did have very limited function to the entire right side. Two things that i used to do to pass time and try to promote recovery were to sit in my room with no noise and just focus on trying to move my fingers and trying to smile. I remember doing this for hours, days and weeks with no reward and it really gets frustrating after a while. I suppose what i am trying to say is, the puzzle that helped me most in my recovery was the puzzle of finding alternative neural pathways and i owe my recovery to a comment made by my physical therapist. She explained to me that the brain is like a road map and that sometimes when a road gets closed you just have to find an alternative route. Me sitting in my room trying to move my fingers and smile was my was of trying to find that alternative Route. There is a limit to what you get back but after weeks of looking at my fingers i did get movement and 12 months later i had just about full use of my right side. These little games might sound funny but it was games like these two that i started with that helped me get back on my feet. I hope this is helpful.
Hope your dad gets better.
Regards
Edward