By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer on Jul 17, 2013, at 2:26 AM??Updated on 7/17/13 at 4:55 AM
Since he had a stroke 10 months ago, Dale Albersmeyer has had trouble finding the right words to express himself. He has difficulty reading and writing and is no longer an above-average speller.He's had some help this week as one of eight adults who have aphasia at a camp at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. The campers work with graduate clinicians who are studying at OSU.
It is the second year for the camp, which has doubled in size.
Aphasia is a loss of language skills that happens typically after a brain injury, most often a stroke. People with aphasia have trouble using and understanding words, said Karen Copeland, a speech pathologist working at the camp.
Those attending the weeklong camp have different severities of aphasia and have had it for varying lengths of time.
Albersmeyer, who pauses often while talking, trying to find the right word, said he and his wife of 33 years used to joke around a lot, but now he has trouble doing that.
"(It's) frustrating because I typically am very vocal," he said. "I have a sense of humor and enjoy life, and it's very difficult being trapped."
The first two days of camp have already helped him to communicate better, he said.
The campers have individual therapy with the graduate clinicians, sometimes using computer programs. They also play games to help them practice using words.
One game involves the person seeing a picture of a famous person and then trying to get the clinician to guess who the person is by describing him or her. Then they switch roles.
Other activities this week will include painting, yoga and physical therapy.
Copeland said this is to help the campers relax, which can help them use language, and to give them a break from all their practice.
"We want to get away from the thing that's most difficult," she said.
Shanley Taber, who has one year left in graduate school, said this is her first time to work with adults with aphasia and that she's realizing it's different from working with children.
She's learned from the hands-on opportunities the camp has provided her, she said.
"It's one thing to read about it and hear examples, and it's another thing to have somebody you can actually talk to," she said.
Shannon Muchmore 918-581-8378
shannon.muchmore@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: Aphasia camp has people talking
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