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Tulsa Aphasia Group

 

            What is Aphasia?  Aphasia is the loss of the ability to use or understand language.  Aphasia can affect speech, reading, writing, and understanding conversation.  Aphasia is caused by damage to the communication areas of the brain.  It is most often a result of stroke, and is sometimes from a head injury or brain tumor.

 The mission of the Tulsa Aphasia Group is to provide education and support to area community members about aphasia.  The group provides moral support and education for the individual with aphasia and their family through monthly meetings, special events, and publications. 

The Tulsa Aphasia group meets on the second Wednesday of each month, from 9:30 to 11:00 for peer support, socializing, and information sharing.  Persons with aphasia and their friends and families are welcome to attend.  The meetings are held at the Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders on the campus of the University of Tulsa.

          A speech-language pathologist who is a faculty member at The University of Tulsa attends each meeting to serve as a facilitator and resource person.  Guest speakers are provided at each aphasia support group session along with refreshments.  Ideas for guest speakers are generated by the aphasia group members and The University of Tulsa Communication Disorders faculty.  Recent topics have included nutrition, health lifestyles, drug interactions and commonly-prescribed medications, stroke prevention, communication strategies, and hearing loss prevention.

Below is a list of recent speakers at the Tulsa Aphasia Group:

Diana Caughron, CTRS: Recreational Therapist at St. John Medical Center
Topic: Functional activities and adaptations for continued leisure opportunities after stroke or brain injury.

Janice Grabow, R.N.:  Registered Nurse and Director of the Alexander Health Center at the University of Tulsa
Topic: Risk factors for diseases associated with aphasia such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.  Free blood pressure screenings were offered during this meeting.

Kaye Headrick, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist at Oklahoma Neurorestorative Hospital
Topic: Communication strategies for individuals with aphasia

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Bruce Horn, DDS:  Dentist
Topic:  Geriatric dental care and concerns

 Tim Houchin:  University of Tulsa Boesche Legal Clinic
 Topic: Legal issues, estate planning, health care issues related to aging.                                  

Carol Lambert, AuD:  Audiologist.
Topic: Hearing loss and its association with aging and aphasia.  Free hearing screenings were offered during this meeting. 

Jana Scavona, ACSM, HFI:  Wellness Director at Inverness Village (a life care retirement community). 
Topic: Wellness, fitness, and simple everyday exercises adapted for individuals with physical challenges.  She also demonstrated inexpensive ways in which individuals could exercise at home. 

Claudia White, Physical Therapist, Tulsa Regional Medical Center
Topic: Therapeutic exercises for persons recovering from stroke.

Amy Whitmarsh, CTRS: Recreational Therapist and Public Outreach Educator at The Center For the Physically Limited
Topic:  Services and activities offered at The Center    

             The Tulsa Aphasia Group also schedules an outing or special meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month.  These gatherings often take place at the Central Park Condominiums clubhouse.  Group members also meet at area restaurants for lunch outings.  These events are scheduled TBA.          

Driving directions to the Mary K. Chapman Center for Communication Disorders:

The physical address is 2820 E. 5th street.

From the Broken Arrow Expressway, exit on Harvard and drive north to 11th St.  On 11th street, turn west to Delaware.  On Delaware, turn north to 4th Place.  Turn east on 4th Place and the turn into the 2nd or 3rd entrance to the parking lot on the right.  Drive south to the designated client parking spaces at the south end of the parking lot (marked "clinic parking".  The Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders is immediately across the street (5th Street) from where you have parked.

From highway 244, exit on Delaware/Harvard and turn south on Delaware.  Drive south on Delaware to 4th Place.  Turn east on 4th Place and the turn into the 2nd or 3rd entrance to the parking lot on the right.  Drive south to the designated client parking spaces at the south end of the parking lot (marked "clinic parking".  The Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders is immediately across the street (5th Street) from where you have parked.

For more information concerning the Tulsa Aphasia Group, please contact:              
Dr. Lori Davis, Associate Professor and Speech-Language Pathologist:
(918) 631-2915
Email: lori-davis@utulsa.edu

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