Articles
Express Me is an incredibly useful tool for people with aphasia. Even for people who are not very comfortable with digital technology, it's easy to add words. You create a very personal vocabulary in a simple way. A recommendation for people with aphasia and their speech therapists!
Piet Dijkhuizen had a stroke ten years ago that left him with severe aphasia. He understands everything but cannot talk, read or write. With Express Me on his iPad, he can still share important family photos and moments, including receiving the Harry Moeskops Prize. Together with his wife Ellen, Piet is raising awareness about aphasia and urging people to talk calmly and ask simple yes-or-no questions. Despite the losses, he still gives his life a ten out of ten, finding joy in small things and the company of people who understand.
After helping people on Android, Express Me has arrived on iOS, so more families and speech therapists can try it on the devices they already use. It is designed to be personal, friendly and easy to adjust. You can use your own photos, voice and picture-and-word tiles to build conversations that fit one person's life. The idea is simple: when the tool feels familiar, communicating feels less stressful.
When someone finds speaking and finding words hard, the people around them can build a very personal Express Me set-up with their own photos and familiar words. In one-to-one moments, this makes it easier to talk about real, everyday topics. The clear voice and simple picture-and-word tiles help the young adult join in at their own pace. It is a small, personal way to keep communication open and meaningful.
On AfasieNet, you can find the Express Me interview video "Wat is afasie?", filmed while interviewing people with aphasia at Afasiecentrum Boogh. They answer simple questions about what it feels like to live with aphasia. These interviews make aphasia's day-to-day communication challenges easier to understand and help viewers understand why accessible communication and tools such as Express Me matter.
