Talk about a stroke of luck.  The Aphasia Network’s second annual Spring Workshop happens Saturday, April 11, less than 20 miles away from Hillsboro, Oregon.

The five-hour program of workshops makes sense for Alice and me.  A cursory look at Saturday’s agenda reveals caregivers will be enlightened with survivors’ points of view and vice versa.  The Living With Aphasia workshop is promulgated to survivors of stroke or brain injury.  Often family members get the impression survivors become brain damaged when they are not.

Speech aphasia impacts a person’s ability to take what’s inside his or her brain matter and emit it as intended from vocal chords.  The result: garbled language.

The organization’s workshops appear vital to expedite communication between a survivor and caregiver, or in my case a partner.  Suzanne Gardner, an event organizer, explained that survivors sit on one side, while their caregivers are positioned on the other.  A valuable partner, Pacific University of Oregon, takes part in the proceedings.

Registration begins at 9:30 am, followed by an orientation at 10 o’clock.  One half hour later, two options are offered.  The first option focuses on communication tools and strategies where enrollees are given one-on-one tools for smart phones and/or tablets.  It doesn’t matter what technology to which enrollees are subscribed: Apps for Android and Apple phones are covered.

The other option is more oriented toward occupational therapy, centering on leisure and daily living activity tools.  Survivors and caregivers are similarly segregated as other enrollees, which reinforces the different perspective caregivers share than their respective survivors.

Box lunches – either turkey or vegetarian – are supplied at 11:40, but time is limited.  A panel discussion is scheduled to take place while enrollees munch away.  Then back for another workshop at 1 o’clock, until the event wraps up at 2:30.

The Living With Aphasia second annual workshop takes place at Pacific University’s Berglund Hall at 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116.  Interest in the workshop seems to be piquing, so Gardner has offered to expedite late registrations by calling 503-577-1282.  Registration cost is $15 per person, $30 for two.

Directions to the Pacific University campus and more information is available at The Aphasia Network’s website.  Just click this link.

Alice and I hope to meet new friends and learn how they are overcoming inherent difficulties and frustrations in the new world in which we now live.  While we’re there, a lot of folks are going to witness how Alice’s ability to laugh at herself is enabling her to speak all over again!