Hi everyone
New to the forum, and it has been well recommended to me.
My wife (57 yrs) was diagnosed last year with Alzheimers, Primary Progressive Aphasia and Dyspraxia, and over recent months has been deteriorating. There will no doubt be a number of questions I raise, but there is one particular area I'd be very grateful for any thoughts on.
The PPA has now got to the point where my wife is almost entirely unable to make herself understood, despite the fact that she is still fully in tune with everything. I think it is this that worries me most at the moment, although she is beginning to display more symptoms of Alz than previously - paranoia, swallowing, restlessness, reduced inhibition etc. Our speech therapist is being very helpful, and is looking to find a coomunication device called a "lightwriter" for her. This is effectively a keyboard with display and which speaks words and phrases for her.
The sales manager for the company who produce them is coming to see us in early September and has kindly agreed to loan one to us to see if she can work with one. I wondered if anyone else had personal experience of one, and if so how successful this may have been. The equipment is believed to be in the region of £4500, and whilst I am more than willing to pay if it helps her to any degree it is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. The therapist however, is convinced that we should be able to find funding sources out there, so I would really appreciate anyone who may have sought funding or grants from anywhere, successful or otherwise, and who may be able to offer me any advice.
Thanks and look forward to building some relationships on here.
New to the forum, and it has been well recommended to me.
My wife (57 yrs) was diagnosed last year with Alzheimers, Primary Progressive Aphasia and Dyspraxia, and over recent months has been deteriorating. There will no doubt be a number of questions I raise, but there is one particular area I'd be very grateful for any thoughts on.
The PPA has now got to the point where my wife is almost entirely unable to make herself understood, despite the fact that she is still fully in tune with everything. I think it is this that worries me most at the moment, although she is beginning to display more symptoms of Alz than previously - paranoia, swallowing, restlessness, reduced inhibition etc. Our speech therapist is being very helpful, and is looking to find a coomunication device called a "lightwriter" for her. This is effectively a keyboard with display and which speaks words and phrases for her.
The sales manager for the company who produce them is coming to see us in early September and has kindly agreed to loan one to us to see if she can work with one. I wondered if anyone else had personal experience of one, and if so how successful this may have been. The equipment is believed to be in the region of £4500, and whilst I am more than willing to pay if it helps her to any degree it is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. The therapist however, is convinced that we should be able to find funding sources out there, so I would really appreciate anyone who may have sought funding or grants from anywhere, successful or otherwise, and who may be able to offer me any advice.
Thanks and look forward to building some relationships on here.
