Aphasia Center reaches out to patients and families
Since 1995 Sister Maria Ursula Lammerding has been working with people
suffering from aphasia in the J. Bergmann Aphasia Foundation in Vechta-Langfoerden,
Germany. Aphasia
is a
speech
disorder caused by cranial disturbances and abnormalities. The foundation
aims to promote the rehabilitation of aphasia patients and enlist the cooperation
of their families.
One of Sister Maria Ursula's tasks is leading a weekly singing session.
Because people store memorized rhymes in the right brain, which is not affected
by
aphasia,
singing produces the possibility of speech recovery. Since the inappropriate
reactions
of relatives and friends to the handicap increase the isolation and insecurity
of aphasia sufferers, acceptance within the self-help group reduces the
fear of being misunderstood. During an intensive four-week seminar, other
activities
besides singing are introduced that benefit both the patients and their
families.
A newly introduced feature that has evolved from these sessions is dealing
with the questions of suffering and the meaning of this illness through
meditation exercises. Following these sessions are individual conversations
where family
members, especially spouses, pour out their grief and seek help and understanding.
Sister Maria Ursula asserts, "I am profoundly thankful and see many things
in my life in a different light since I have been working at the aphasia
centre
because
of
my
relationship with these suffering people who are no longer able to utilize
our basic
human
need of expressing oneself through speech."
