Problems

Problem: Tim, a retired government employee, had been a romantic and friendly person his whole life. His wife described him as a 'slow-thinker' who liked to listen first and then respond. She was devastated by his severe aphasia and mobility issues as “he took care of everything for me” and sorely missed ‘the old Tim’. She was also very frustrated and angry about his stereotypies and inability to communicate.

With global aphasia, Tim’s speech was stereotypic “I don’t know” or “it’s better than that”. Occasionally he perseverated on the word “Cadillac”. When he didn’t understand something, he just stared off into the distance and didn’t react. He wasn’t aware of his utterances at the beginning of treatment. As treatment progressed, he became more aware of his errors and more frustrated when he got stuck. Comprehension in context improved significantly.