Emma Beesley had a stroke when she was 33 years old. She has aphasia.
Emma created a series of videos about aphasia. Emma hopes her videos will help other people with aphasia and their family and friends.
The topics in the series are:
· Tips for going out in the community.
· Tips for helping with concentrating.
· Tips to help communicate with people with aphasia.
There are also videos about aphasia:
· What is aphasia?
· What are the types of aphasia?
You can watch the episode on Tips for going out in the community below.
You can watch all of Emma’s videos here.
Transcript
Hi, I'm Emma.
In this video
I want to share
some of my tips
for going out in the community.
Going out in the community
is so important
for your mental health
and psychological well-being.
Aphasia can be very isolating
because you aren't
able to connect with strangers.
People can be cruel.
And think your ability
to talk properly
means that you're drunk, on drugs
or mentally disabled.
My first trips after my stroke
out in the community
were hard.
I felt self-conscious
that people were staring at me
because I walk differently.
My right arm is paralysed
and my elbow bent.
And then when I had to talk,
I felt even worse.
I was scared
that I wouldn't find the right words.
It took a few years
before I felt confident
to go out by myself.
Plan your trip beforehand with a friend or carer.
Know where you are going,
and what obstacles you may face.
If you are using public transport,
have the bus timetable handy,
either on phone or paper.
Have an I.D. card with your address on it
if you are not confident
in telling the driver where you live.
Perhaps even practice for
the trip with someone first.
If you are using a taxi for transport,
try to have a regular driver
who is familiar with you,
and the places you need to go.
One thing that helped me gain confidence
was going out in the community with my aphasia friends.
After our weekly group meetings,
we go out for a meal and then coffee.
Everyone must order their own meal and drinks.
There are carers if we need help.
But being forced
to do our own ordering
each week
has gradually built up my confidence.
The most valuable thing that helped me feel confident
to be out on my own
was an aphasia card
that I got
from the Australian Aphasia Association.
I had mine made into a badge
so I can wear it.
It says I have aphasia.
Sometimes I find it hard to speak,
listen, read or write.
You can help if you
speak clearly and give me time to answer.
The bonus of wearing this
was that it also helps me educate
people about aphasia.
Many people were interested to talk to me
about my stroke and aphasia.
Start slowly with going out and about.
Take someone with you at first.
Don't fear asking
people to repeat themselves
or to talk more slowly.
Gradually, gradually,
you can build up the confidence
to go out on your own.
If you need pictures to help you communicate,
take them along.
Phone apps are amazing,
so get some of these to help.
If people ask you questions,
educate them about aphasia and how it affects you.
