Per the American Stroke Foundation: As a stroke survivor, your primary goal is to build new passageways around the damaged area where your knowledge remains. The first thing that you need to do is allow yourself to make mistakes. Do not give up! Be persistent and be able to laugh at yourself. Unfortunately, no magic pill can help you get better. If you want to get better, YOU have to do hard work.
Think about these suggestions when you are looking for ways to practice. People with Aphasia can do many of these ideas during everyday living.
· Picture naming
· Puzzles (jigsaw, memory, problem-solving, word search)
· Word recall
· Naming category items (name three colors, etc.)
· Word cueing (peanut butter and jelly; opposites: north/south, etc.; city/states)
· Phrase completion (just like word cueing with phrases or sentences)
· Take a word and build a sentence by adding one word & repeating after each added word
· Look up bible passages, look up names and businesses online
· Read recipes
· Go to the grocery store with a list, or use the Publix app to build the list (they tell you exactly what aisle the items are on)
· Count money, and make change
· Practice directions/prepositional phrases (on the floor, behind the couch, etc.)
· Follow compound directions (give 2 to 3 instructions at once: go to the kitchen, put your plate in the dishwasher, and grab a cookie)
