Is there Only One Type of Aphasia?

More than 2 million people throughout the United States are currently living with aphasia. This is more people than are living with several far better known conditions, including Parkinson’s disease and muscular dystrophy. As a family caregiver it is important for you to understand this condition and how it can impact your elderly parent’s life. This enables you to help your parent deal with it in the most effective way possible.

One question that you might have is whether there is just one type of aphasia or if there might be different forms. While the term “aphasia” refers to a language disorder that impacts communication, it does not just reference one single issue. Instead, there are many forms of the condition and ways that this condition can impact your loved one and their quality of life as they age in place.

The form of aphasia that your parent will experience and their individual symptoms and challenges will depend largely on the severity of the damage to the brain, and the area of the brain that is impacted by the damage. Because the condition is caused specifically by damage to the brain that affects how it is able to interpret and use language, the area of the brain is instrumental because each area of the brain utilizes language in a different way.

It is very important to note that regardless of the type of aphasia that your elderly loved one is experiencing and the severity of their symptoms, aphasia is not an indicator of intelligence or intellectual ability. Though aphasia can develop as a result of issues such as traumatic brain injury or progressive neurological condition, the disorder itself is not due to loss of intellectual ability or cognitive decline. This means that your senior is just as intelligent as they have always been and is not dealing with a mental illness, making it vital that you understand the specific origin of their aphasia and help them to handle it for what it is rather than assuming that it is impacting them in a more extensive way.

Starting elderly care for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions that you can make for them throughout the course of your caregiver journey with them. An elderly home care services provider can be with your senior on a customized schedule that ensures that no matter the type of care that is right for them, they will get what they need when they need it. This ensures that they are able to receive all of the care, support, and assistance that is right for them while also keeping you at the forefront of their care routine. There is a misconception that elderly care is only appropriate for those seniors who are very “old” or who have extensive needs. This is not the case. Instead, even seniors who are dealing with mild to moderate needs can also gain tremendous benefits from this type of highly personalized care, helping the to manage their needs, take care of their activities of daily living, and maintain a more active, engaged, and fulfilling quality of life as they age in place.

Source
https://www.aphasia.org/aphasia-resources/aphasia-statistics/

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in South Plainfield, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care of New Brunswick today. Call (732) 607-8870.