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Giving Thanks Through Communication: How to Use Augmentative Communication Apps to Express Gratitude This Holiday Season

November always feels like a gentle tap on the shoulder, reminding us to slow down and soak in what (and who) we’re grateful for. But for adults who can’t speak because of stroke, ALS, Parkinson’s, brain injury, or surgery like a laryngectomy, sharing those emotions isn’t always simple. The feelings are there—love, appreciation, closeness—but the words don’t always follow. That’s where AAC such as speech apps for nonverbal adults becomes so powerful. It gives people the chance to express what...

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Beyond the Big Brands: Why Personalized AAC Solutions Like APP2Speak Empower Real Communication

Rethinking AAC Awareness Month Every October, AAC Awareness Month reminds us of something profound: communication is a basic human right. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and apps have opened doors for people who have lost their ability to speak—due to a stroke, brain injury, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or other conditions. But even with all this progress, a problem persists. Too many people are handed expensive, complicated “big company” devices that...

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Living with Lewy Body Dementia: Early Signs, Famous Stories, and Support for Caregivers

When most people think of dementia, Alzheimer’s usually is the first thing to come to mind. But another form of dementia—Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)—quietly affects more than a million Americans and their families. It’s complex, it’s often misdiagnosed, and it takes a heavy toll not just on the person living with it, but also on caregivers who struggle with exhaustion and compassion fatigue. Recently, two well-known families—those of comedian Robin Williams and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—have been...

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My Favorite Part About Working with My APP2Speak Customers

When I think about my work with APP2Speak, my favorite part is always the same: hearing people’s stories. Every person who uses the app has a unique background, a unique voice (whether spoken or digital), and unique communication needs. Some discover that APP2Speak becomes a lifeline for them, while others realize it’s not the right fit for their situation. Both kinds of stories matter deeply to me, because they help me understand the real-world ways people live with communication...

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Frequently Asked Questions about APP2Speak

I receive questions about our APP2Speak app frequently. Usually, I just answer the person who asked the question directly and leave it at that. But periodically, I think it’s a good idea to answer some of the most common questions in blog post form so many people can benefit from the answers at the same time. So, without further ado, here are four of the frequently asked questions I receive here at APP2Speak. Hopefully, this post will answer your burning question before you’ve even had time to...

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How to Avoid Compassion Fatigue while Helping Your Elderly Loved Ones Live at Home

With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day just recently in the rear-view mirror, I wanted to take the opportunity in this month’s blog post to talk about a dual crisis in the country that you don’t hear much about. That dual crisis involves the fact that: The current growth of the U.S. population aged 65 and over, fueled by the aging Baby Boomer generation, is unprecedented and The younger family members of these aging adults are under a great deal of stress and strain as they try to assist their...

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Compassion Fatigue Prevention for Caregivers of People Who Cannot Speak: Tools, Tips, and Hope

Janet loves her husband deeply. But ever since his stroke took away his ability to speak, the days feel longer and heavier. She finds herself guessing at what he needs, second-guessing whether she's doing enough, and wondering why she's so tired all the time—even when nothing dramatic has happened. I see this situation play out all the time in my work as a Speech Language Pathologist. And if you’re a caregiver like Janet, this might sound all too familiar to you, as well. The truth is, caring...

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It’s April Again—This Autism Acceptance Month, Explore the Best AAC Apps for Autism Communication

There has been a lot of talk about autism in the news lately—and not just because it’s once again Autism Acceptance Month. Unfortunately, much of the talk I’ve been hearing has involved people disagreeing about the root causes of autism and whether autism is becoming more prevalent or simply being reported at higher rates due to changes in the definition of the condition in the last couple of decades. I think what’s really important to people with autism and their loved ones—namely,...

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The Pros and Cons of Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Apps for People Who Can’t Speak

If you’ve read even a few of the posts in this blog, you know that I’m a big proponent of communication apps for nonverbal adults. After all, as a Speech Language Pathologist, I regularly use speech assistance apps like the one I developed, APP2Speak, when working with my patients. For adults who have lost the ability to speak due to a stroke, brain injury, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, laryngectomy, or some other medical condition, communication can become a daily challenge. For many of these...

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