WRITING GROUPS FOR APHASIA
Acquired Dysgraphia
​
We use our writing skills in so many different ways on a daily basis: to-do lists, shopping lists, emails, text messages, birthday cards, social media – the list could go on and on! Acquired dysgraphia is a writing impairment that results from a traumatic brain injury or a stroke. It can have an extremely negative impact on a person’s ability to communicate with others. The impact is even more profound if the person's speech is impaired too, as is often the case with aphasia.
​
By using evidence-based writing techniques, speech therapy can help people with acquired dysgraphia improve their writing/spelling and communication abilities. This can help to increase the chances of a successful return to work, improve cognitive and linguistic processes, and enhance quality of life for people with writing impairments.
​
Writing Therapy Groups for Aphasia
​
At the Aptus Speech Clinic, we run Writing Groups for Aphasia in Dundrum, Dublin 14 and in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Groups normally have 3 to 4 people. Our writing groups make speech therapy much more accessible and affordable for people with aphasia following stroke or brain injury.
​
Group sessions typically last 1 - 1.5 hours.
​
​
Baseline of writing skills of each group member
​
We carry out a full assessment of writing. This typically looks at spontaneous writing, writing names of pictures, writing words to dictation, writing picture descriptions and copying written statements. We re-examine after a block of group therapy to track progress.
​
Goal-setting
​
Every group member comes to writing group for a reason. We find out what they would like to achieve and we target their goals with relevant writing exercises. Some examples of group members' goals include:
-
learning to write the names of family members
-
writing birthday and wedding cards
-
writing numbers
-
sentence generation and correct word order
-
email writing
-
text message writing
-
using assistive technology to make writing easier
​
​​
Homework
​
We provide group members with 1-2 writing tasks per week so that they continue to practise their writing skills in between sessions. Feedback is always provided on homework.
​
​
Get in touch
​
If you or a loved one are interested in joining one of our writing groups, please get in touch by calling us, filling in the contact form below or by emailing info@aptusclinic.com.