Anne Raudsepp Hardy vividly recalls the moment when she awoke in a Kansas City hospital following a stroke in October 2003, just days shy of her 46th birthday.
鈥淲hen I came to in the hospital room, I looked at the clock on the wall. I knew it was a clock, but had no idea what the digits represented,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he television was on and I couldn鈥檛 read the text.鈥�
Ms. Raudsepp Hardy, a mental health counsellor, was suffering from aphasia: an impediment in a person鈥檚 ability to produce or comprehend language. In many patients, it manifests as a speech disorder, and often misunderstood as a physical impairment. But it鈥檚 ultimately a neurological condition, and in her case, it had robbed her ability to read.
鈥淚 had a masters degree, I was a college-educated woman, and I couldn鈥檛 read at all. It was like an Alice in Wonderland experience.鈥�
Her family鈥攈er husband Doug and three school-aged children鈥攑ulled together in support, using humour to work through the challenging circumstances. But they were fearful, worried.
鈥淥ne of my biggest fears was not being sure if this would get better,鈥� says Mr. Hardy. 鈥淲as this how we鈥檇 have to live for the rest of our lives?鈥�
Recovery through InteRACTion
It wasn鈥檛, and a AV俱乐部 program played a key part in Ms. Raudsepp Hardy鈥檚 journey through recovery.
It鈥檚 called InteRACT, an acronym for 鈥淚ntensive Residential Aphasia Communication Therapy.鈥� Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, it鈥檚 a four-and-a-half week immersion program delivered by Dal鈥檚 School of Human Communication Disorders that brings patients and a communication partner from home鈥攁 friend or family member鈥攖o Halifax for intense rehabilitation designed to develop the skills to jumpstart or sustain their recovery.
鈥淲e can help someone learn to speak or communicate clearly here at the program, but if all they do when they get back home is sit in front of the television for hours, they won鈥檛 be able to advance any further,鈥� explains Linda Wozniak, the program鈥檚 director. 鈥淲e want to give them not just speech skills, but life skills.鈥�
The patients come from all across North America, from Scottsdale, Arizona to Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, as there are only a handful of other programs that offer a rehabilitation experience as intensive as InteRACT. (A few that are similar, including programs in Chicago and in British Columbia, are actually based on the InteRACT model). The program involves both individual therapy sessions and group activities 鈥撀爊ot just at Dal, but also in the community. And students in the Master鈥檚 program program play a crucial part in that treatment regime.
Applied learning for students
Sarah O鈥橬eill was one of those students; she now works for the Saskatoon Health Region in a rehabilitation unit working with patients in recovery after a stroke.
鈥淵ou were really blessed to get to know the patients really well [in InteRACT],鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not always possible in all treatment environments, but in InteRACT, you really got to value the rapport with patients, identifying their goals for therapy and rehabilitation.鈥�
鈥淢y internship at InteRACT was the most valuable learning experience of my three-year graduate degree,鈥� wrote 2011 speech-language pathology graduate Julia Baylis in a letter, noting that before graduation she was contacted by two separate employers citing her InteRACT placement as reason for their interest.
And it鈥檚 not just speech therapy students who benefit: the program brings in students from other disciplines as well to support patients and bring together experience from a variety of different clinical perspectives.
Lindsay MacDonald is an occupational therapist with Capital Health鈥檚 Nova Scotia Rehab Centre. While she was a student at Dal, she did one of her clinical placements with InteRACT, providing support for patients鈥� mobility and access needs as well as daily living skills.
鈥淚t was the first time I鈥檇 had that sort of intensive interaction with another profession,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou really got a sense of how to work and provide support as part of a team. That, and an appreciation for working with patients dealing with communications challenges 鈥撀爐hose are lessons I still take with me in my work today.鈥�
鈥淭hey meet the family, they spend extensive time with the patient, and they get to understand the disorder in the broader context,鈥� says Joy Armson, director of the School of Human Communication Disorders. 鈥淭hey come out of it having learned so much.鈥�
The road to recovery
That learning process is doubly important for patients. For Ms. Raudsepp Hardy, the program made an immeasurable difference. Today, her speech is slow but clear, and she鈥檚 improved her reading to the point where she鈥檚 been able to complete graduate coursework in a Masters of Divinity Program.
She has also returned to Halifax several times, on Ms. Wozniak鈥檚 invitation, to assist in delivering InteRACT 鈥撀燽oth as an example of success to inspire current patients, but also to offer her skills as a councillor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a rich experience, but rich because it varies with each individual,鈥� she says of working with the program. 鈥淭he privilege as a councillor is when you sit with people at their point of deepest pain and fear 鈥撀爊ot to fix it, but to let them know they鈥檙e not alone.鈥�
And she has amazing things to say about the students and staff who work hard to give hope to InteRACT鈥檚 patients.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e passionate professionals who do such good, life changing work.鈥�
The InteRACT program is working to expand its business model to support more patients. Learn more about the program at or .
There will also be a fundraiser for all of the School of Human Communications Disroders鈥� aphasia clinic services (including InteRACT, the communication group and book club) on March 30 from 7-9:30 p.m. at George Wright Hall (989 Young Avenue). The event will feature wine and cheese, a silent auction and live entertainment. Tickets are $20 at the door (or by email st442663@dal.ca or mn412838@dal.ca).