Episode #46 - In Conversation with Carol Dow-Richards

Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Co-director of the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay speaks with Carol Dow-Richards about the importance of social connection for individuals with aphasia and their care partners and how it became the driving motivation behind The Aphasia Recovery Connection. Carol Dow-Richards is the Director of The Aphasia Recovery Connection, (ARC) a nonprofit organization. Carol spends her days walking alongside families as they navigate the road to recovery.   That is a road she knows all too well as her son David had a massive stroke destroying over half his left brain when he was only ten years old resulting in global aphasia and paralysis. While one Doctor suggested placing the fourth grader in a nursing home, David opted to fight - and clocked over 3,000 clinical hours of therapy over the next 15 years. Today, the mother and son duo are authors, have appeared on The Doctors, lead aphasia cruises and boot camps, speak at CEU events, and connect families like their own so others don’t live in isolation every day on Facebook. Carol shares that one of ARC’s most impactful programs is the A R C Care Partner and Friends Group on Facebook.    Today, she will give us some insight into the life of care partners, share some of her own “aha” moments she's learned over the years, and provide resources and tips real families dealing with aphasia have shared on ARC.  In today’s episode you will: Learn what motivated the formation of the consumer-based Aphasia Recovery Connection Hear the caregiver's perspective of the impact of aphasia on the family shared through personal stories Discover the role ARC fills for providing connection among individuals with aphasia and their care partners Hear specific actionable steps every SLP can take to provide education and support to individuals with aphasia and their families. Download the Full Show Notes