What is Aphasia? Upcoming Sessions Will Share Resources on the Communication Disorder
In honor of National Aphasia Awareness Month, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital will offer free information sessions from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 27 to help educate individuals about the communication disorder.
Aphasia is an acquired condition that impairs a person’s ability to process language, but does not affect intelligence. The most common cause of aphasia is stroke, though it can also result from head injury, a brain tumor, or other neurological causes.
Individuals with aphasia often have difficulty reading, writing, speaking, and/or understanding language. Approximately 2 million Americans are affected by the disorder.
“Many people do not understand that aphasia is a loss of language, not a loss of intelligence,” said Anna Decker, MS, CCC-SLP, speech language pathologist at MedStar St. Mary’s. “There are strategies available to help those impacted improve their communication, and we hope to help families by sharing these resources.”
Interested individuals may stop by The Blue Heron Café at MedStar St. Mary’s between noon and 1 p.m. June 25 and June 27. A speech language pathologist will discuss how to help those affected by aphasia. To learn more about the disorder and strategies for improvement, visit MedStarStMarys.org/Aphasia or call 301-475-6062.
About MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital (MSMH) is a full-service community hospital, delivering state-of-the-art emergency, acute inpatient and outpatient care in Leonardtown, Maryland. Nestled in a waterside community, MedStar St. Mary's provides advanced technology with a dedication to excellence in all services provided. The not-for-profit hospital has been named among the nation’s Top 100 Hospitals™ and is an eight time recipient of the prestigious Delmarva Medicare Excellence Award. In addition, MSMH received the Maryland Performance Excellence award at the Platinum level in 2014 – the highest in the state. Our staff is committed to providing quality and compassionate medical care for all patients by coupling innovation with our outstanding team of Medical Staff members, associates and volunteers. Visit MedStarStMarys.org to learn more.