Comparing the effects of clinician and caregiver-administered lexical retrieval training for progressive anomia

• Main Authors: Grasso, S.M (Author), Henry, M.L (Author), Shuster, K.M (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2019
• Subjects: aged; Aged; anomia; Anomia; Aphasia, Primary Progressive; caregiver; Caregivers; cognitive defect; Cognitive Dysfunction; comparative study; complication; female; Female; health care personnel; Health Personnel; human; Humans; language therapy; Language Therapy; lexical retrieval; male; Male; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); primary progressive aphasia; Primary progressive aphasia; procedures; spouse; Spouses; treatment; treatment outcome
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 There is a growing body of literature indicating that lexical retrieval training can result in improved naming ability in individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Traditionally, treatment is administered by a speech-language pathologist, with little involvement of caregivers or carry-over of practice into the home. This study examined the effects of a lexical retrieval training programme that was implemented first by a clinician and, subsequently, by a trained caregiver. Two dyads, each consisting of one individual with anomia caused by neurodegenerative disease (one with mild cognitive impairment and one with logopenic primary progressive aphasia) and their caregiver, participated in the study. Results indicated medium and large effect sizes for both clinician- and caregiver-trained items, with generalisation to untrained stimuli. Participants reported improved confidence during communication as well as increased use of trained communication strategies after treatment. This study is the first to document that caregiver-administered speech and language intervention can have positive outcomes when paired with training by a clinician. Caregiver-administered treatment may be a viable means of increasing treatment dosage in the current climate of restricted reimbursement, particularly for patients with progressive conditions. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.