22nd September 1997

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The University of Ulster and Homefirst Community Trust have embarked on a new way of helping survivors of strokes and their families.

Northern Ireland has one of the highest incidences of stroke in the United Kingdom. Every year 3,000 people have a stroke and, of the ones who survive, a proportion will have impaired communication skills. This problem is called 'dysphasia'.

It has been a common practice to help stroke survivors in the weeks and months following their stroke with rehabilitation therapy. What is different about the present joint venture is its intensive nature within an educational setting. For all of this month, stroke survivors are working both in small groups and individually to learn strategies for coping with communication problems. At the same time, the relatives have been invited to participate and have their own day long sessions where they can speak with other people who have experienced the difficulties and anxieties of caring for a dysphasic relative.

Said Rosalind Gray, lecturer in Acquired Communication Disorders, and one of the prime movers in the venture,

"Dysphasia affects a person's communication, their self-esteem and also their knowledge of language, while still remaining as intellectually able as they were before the stroke."

Carolee O'Neil, specialist speech and language therapist for Homefirst Community Trust and a co-tutor on the course believes that the intensive course shows the importance of collaboration:

"This has set the scene for an exciting development of therapy and research, using the resources of both the University of Ulster and an NHS trust."

Note to Editor:

The 11 people on the course range in age from 24 to 73. They were all referred by Homefirst speech and language therapists. The course runs until 26 September at the University.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk