Broca's Aphasia (Non-Fluent Aphasia)

Summary

In this heartfelt interview, Mike Caputo shares his journey of living with aphasia, a speech disorder caused by a stroke he suffered seven years ago. Despite the challenges with speech, Mike remains active in his community, co-founding 'Voices of Hope Aphasia,' a program that supports individuals with aphasia through activities like music and conversation. Mike reflects on the difficulties of communication, the impact on his daily life, and the importance of his speech therapy. His wife helps him during the interview, demonstrating the supportive environment that aids his progress.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mike Caputo suffered a stroke seven years ago, which resulted in aphasia.
• 😀 Before his stroke, Mike worked in worldwide sales for Autodesk.
• 😀 Mike’s speech was impacted by aphasia, but his cognitive abilities remained intact.
• 😀 Aphasia makes it difficult for Mike to find the right words, despite understanding them.
• 😀 Mike is involved in a program called 'Voices of Hope', which he helped found.
• 😀 'Voices of Hope' is a three-day-a-week program (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) for people with aphasia.
• 😀 The program helps members improve communication and enjoy social activities like music and conversation.
• 😀 There are approximately 60 members in the 'Voices of Hope' program.
• 😀 Dr. Jackie Hinckley is a key part of the 'Voices of Hope' initiative.
• 😀 The program is not a support group, but a structured and active program focused on speech therapy and social interaction.
• 😀 Mike describes the experience of aphasia as difficult, particularly in terms of speech, where words don’t make sense despite understanding them.

Q & A

What is Mike's full name?

Mike Caputo.

When did Mike have his stroke?

Mike had his stroke seven years ago.

What was Mike's occupation before the stroke?

Mike worked in sales at Autodesk, focusing on worldwide sales.

Who is Mike looking at when he turns his head?

Mike is looking at his wife.

Why is Mike's wife helping him speak?

Mike's wife is helping him speak because he has aphasia, a condition that affects his speech.

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a condition that impairs speech, where the person may understand words but struggles to produce or say them correctly.

What does Mike do now, despite his aphasia?

Mike works with an organization called Voices of Hope Aphasia, which he helped found.

What is Voices of Hope Aphasia?

Voices of Hope Aphasia is a program, not a support group, that runs three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), offering activities like laughter, conversation, and music to its members.

How many people are involved in Voices of Hope?

There are approximately 60 members in Voices of Hope Aphasia.

How does Mike describe the experience of having aphasia?

Mike describes aphasia as challenging, with difficulty finding the right words, even though his brain is functioning normally. He compares it to words not making sense or being hard to understand.