This is the second webinar in a series of educational events as part of a project supported by funding from the National HSCP Office, submitted by IASLT and AOTI jointly.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the research context and evidence around empirical need for emotional support among people with post-stroke aphasia and other communication impairments; their families, including children, and a documented lack of access to communicatively accessible support in Ireland and elsewhere.
• Understand and learn from a range of disciplinary perspectives on current and ideal service provision in a safe and shared forum.
• Learn about the perspectives of people living with post-stroke aphasia and other communication impairments around the importance of overcoming and managing negative emotional responses as part of learning to live well with their condition; the support needs of their families; and barriers and experiences of accessing relevant support in Ireland.
• Hear from interdisciplinary researchers relating to novel evidence-based treatment approaches that have been adapted in the context of communication impairment.
• Understand the principles of, and rationale for supported conversation training for mental health professionals.
• Learn the principles of, and experiences of teams involved in joint working in the provision of psychosocial support for people with post-stroke communication impairment.
• Learn about opportunities for becoming part of a Community of Practice and benefitting from further collaborative and training events that we are planning.

About the Speakers:

Sinead Purcell is a Senior Occupational Therapist working in acute Stroke /Neurology services in University Hospital Limerick. Sinead has 11years clinical experience working with adults with neurological conditions across acute and primary care services in England and Ireland. Sinead will discuss interdisciplinary working with people with aphasia post stroke, from an Occupational Therapy perspective.

Dr Fiadhnait O’Keeffe is the Principal Specialist Neuropsychologist in St Vincent’s University Hospital, where she works with patients with a range of neurological conditions. She previously worked in the National Rehabilitation Hospital with people with acquired brain injuries and their families, where she enjoyed close interdisciplinary working with AHP colleagues. She is adjunct assistant professor in UCD and honorary clinical tutor in TCD. Her doctorate research included working with people with young stroke and her PhD included exploring self-awareness and identity following acquired brain injury and atypical dementias. She lectures on clinical neuropsychology in TCD, UCD and UL Doctorate in Clinical Psychology programmes.

Sorcha Ní Chaoimh is a mum of three young boys, a primary school teacher and an expert by experience. Sorcha will talk about her experience of stroke and post-stroke aphasia and fatigue. She will talk about her lived experience, her reflections of emotions after her stroke and what she found helpful in the early, acute, post-acute and longer term in supporting her emotional and overall well being.

Dr Caroline Baker is Speech and Language Pathologist, Postdoctoral research fellow with the Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, La Trobe University. Research and Clinical Practice Lead, Speech Pathology department, Monash Health. Caroline has 20 years of combined clinical and research experience in speech pathology with research interests in: optimising mental wellbeing for people living with aphasia; and managing communication difficulties for adults across the continuum of care. Caroline will present on prevention of mental health problems and enhancing wellbeing after aphasia. She will introduce current research of a new therapy program called Aphasia PRevention Intervention and Support in Mental health (Aphasia PRISM).

Date recorded: Friday 24th September 2021

Duration: 2 hours