MedStar Offering Two Sessions on Aphasia

June Is Awareness Month for the Communication Disorder

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital will offer two  information sessions to help educate people about aphasia, a communication disorder that affects approximately 2 million Americans.

The sessions will be held Tuesday, June 28, and Thursday, June 30, during National Aphasia Awareness Month.

Aphasia is an acquired condition that impairs a person’s ability to process language, but does not affect intelligence. The most common cause of aphasia is stroke. However, it also  can result from head injury, brain tumor or other neurological causes. Many people with aphasia have Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. Individuals with aphasia often have difficulty reading, writing, speaking or understanding.

Individuals who are interested in learning more about the disorder and strategies to communicate with people who have aphasia, may stop by the hospital’s atrium, which is located next to the Café at Buena Vista, between noon and 1 pm on June 28 or 30, 2016. A speech language pathologist will be available to offer information and interested people may also sign up for a support group.

Visit the MedStar link noted above for more information about aphasia.

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital supports the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership.

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is a full-service community hospital, delivering state-of-the-art emergency, acute inpatient and outpatient care in Leonardtown. Nestled in a waterside community, MedStar St. Mary’s provides advanced technology with a dedication to excellence in all services provided. The not-for-profit hospital has been named among the nation’s Top 100 Hospitals and is an eight time recipient of the prestigious Delmarva Medicare Excellence Award. In addition, MSMH received the Maryland Performance Excellence award at the Platinum level in 2014 – the highest in the state. The staff is committed to providing quality and compassionate medical care for all patients by coupling innovation with an outstanding team of medical staff members, associates, and volunteers.

For more information and one-­click access to a full list of resources available at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, visit their Leader member page.