Approaches to Discourse in Dementia


Book Description

The qualitative analysis of naturally occurring discourse in neurogenic communication disorders, specifically in dementia studies, has experienced recent burgeoning interest from wide-ranging disciplines. This multidisciplinarity has been exciting, but has added contextual confusion. This book advances the study of discourse in dementia by systematically exploring and applying different approaches to the same free conversational data sets, collected and transcribed by the authors. The applied methodologies and theories comprise a useful sourcebook for students, researchers, and practitioners alike.




Pragmatics in Dementia Discourse


Book Description

Alison Wray notes that “Alzheimer’s Disease affects language in many different ways. Directly, language processing is undermined by damage to the language areas of the brain. Indirectly, language is compromised by short term memory loss, distortions in perception, and disturbed semantic representation . . . All of this makes AD an obvious focus of interest for linguists and in particular, those interested in the field of pragmatics – yet a striking amount of what is published about AD language is written by non-linguists. AD language is independently researched in at least psychology, neuroscience, sociology, clinical linguistics and nursing. Each discipline has its own methods, theories, assumptions and values, which affect the research questions asked, the empirical approach taken in answering them, and how the evidence is interpreted. Without a more reliable holistic picture informed by linguistic and applied linguistic theory and methods, approaches to diagnosis and care risk being constrained, and may result in a less than satisfactory experience for all those whose daily life involves the direct or indirect experience of AD.” This book is an attempt to address some of the above issues noted by bringing together a group of researchers whose work focuses on interaction in the context of dementia. The authors represent the fields of linguistics, clinical linguistics, nursing, and speech pathology, and each chapter draws on methods associated with discourse analysis and pragmatics to examine how people with dementia utilize language in the presence of cognitive decline. In addition, the book seeks to generate academic discussion on how researchers can move forward to focus greater attention on this topic. In particular, this collection will inspire researchers involved in mainstream theoretical linguistics and pragmatics to turn their attention to the discourse of dementia and investigate what it has to say about our knowledge of language theories, and, in addition, to challenge what we know about ourselves as subjective beings.




Preventing Dementia?


Book Description

The conceptualization of dementia has changed dramatically in recent years with the claim that, through early detection and by controlling several risk factors, a prevention of dementia is possible. Although encouraging and providing hope against this feared condition, this claim is open to scrutiny. This volume looks at how this new conceptualization ignores many of the factors which influence a dementia sufferers’ prognosis, including their history with education, food and exercise as well as their living in different epistemic cultures. The central aim is to question the concept of prevention and analyze its impact on aging people and aging societies.




Reconsidering Dementia Narratives


Book Description

Reconsidering Dementia Narratives explores the role of narrative in developing new ways of understanding, interacting with, and caring for people with dementia. It asks how the stories we tell about dementia – in fiction, life writing and film – both reflect and shape the way we think about this important condition. Highlighting the need to attend to embodied and relational aspects of identity in dementia, the study further outlines ways in which narratives may contribute to dementia care, while disputing the idea that the modes of empathy fostered by narrative necessarily bring about more humane care practices. This cross-medial analysis represents an interdisciplinary approach to dementia narratives which range across auto/biography, graphic narrative, novel, film, documentary and collaborative storytelling practices. The book aims to clarify the limits and affordances of narrative, and narrative studies, in relation to an ethically driven medical humanities agenda through the use of case studies. Answering the key question of whether dementia narratives align with or run counter to the dominant discourse of dementia as ‘loss of self’, this innovative book will be of interest to anyone interested in dementia studies, ageing studies, narrative studies in health care, and critical medical humanities.




Discourse Analysis in Adults With and Without Communication Disorders


Book Description

Discourse Analysis in Adults With and Without Communication Disorders: A Resource for Clinicians and Researchers provides state-of-the-art information about discourse analysis with sections on Aging, Aphasia, Cognitive Communication Disorders, and Neurodegenerative Diseases. The three renowned editors are actively engaged in the area of discourse. Expert clinical researchers introduce and organize each section, and chapters are authored by leaders involved in discourse research worldwide. Discourse is considered the most natural unit of language. Effective production of discourse requires complex interactions among linguistic, cognitive, and social abilities that are sensitive to even mild disruption in any one of these elements. This book covers the examination of discourse in adults with acquired communication disorders, including selecting elicitation tasks, streamlining transcription processes, expanding analysis methods, and translating findings for treatment application. Key Features * Provides a global perspective on discourse assessment for clinicians * Dedicated chapters on aging, aphasia, traumatic brain injury, right hemisphere disorder, primary progressive aphasia, Alzheimer’s dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Disclaimer: Please note that ancillary content (such as documents, audio, and video, etc.) may not be included as published in the original print version of this book.




Dialogue and Dementia


Book Description

This volume takes the positive view that conversation between persons with dementia and their interlocutors is a privileged site for ongoing cognitive engagement. The book aims to identify and describe specific linguistic devices or strategies at the level of turn-by-turn talk that promote and extend conversation, and to explore real-world engagements that reflect these strategies. Final reflections tie these linguistic strategies and practices to wider issues of the "self" and "agency" in persons with dementia. Thematically, the volume fosters an integrated perspective on communication and cognition in terms of which communicative resources are recognized as cognitive resources, and communicative interaction is treated as reflecting cognitive engagement. This reflects perspectives in cognitive anthropology and cognitive science that regard human cognitive activity as distributed and culturally rooted. This volume is intended for academic researchers and advanced students in applied linguistics, linguistic and medical anthropology, nursing, and social gerontology; and practice professionals in speech-language pathology and geropsychology.




The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders


Book Description

The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders presents a comprehensive survey of the latest research in communication disorders. Contributions from leading experts explore current issues, landmark studies, and the main topics in the field, and include relevant information on analytical methods and assessment. A series of foundational chapters covers a variety of important general principles irrespective of specific disorders. These chapters focus on such topics as classification, diversity considerations, intelligibility, the impact of genetic syndromes, and principles of assessment and intervention. Other chapters cover a wide range of language, speech, and cognitive/intellectual disorders.




The Routledge International Handbook of Psycholinguistic and Cognitive Processes


Book Description

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the theories of cognition and language processing relevant to the field of communication disorders. Thoroughly updated in its second edition, the book explores a range of topics and issues that illustrate the relevance of a dynamic interaction between both theoretical and applied clinical work. Beginning with the origins of language evolution, the authors explore a range of both developmental and acquired communication disorders, reflecting the variety and complexity of psycholinguistics and its role in extending our knowledge of communication disorders. The first section outlines some of the major theoretical approaches from psycholinguistics and cognitive neuroscience that have been influential in research focusing on clinical populations, while Section II features examples from researchers who have applied this body of knowledge to developmental disorders of communication. Section III features examples focusing on acquired language disorders, and finally, Section IV considers psycholinguistic approaches to gesture, sign language, and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). The new edition features new chapters offering fresh perspectives, further reading recommendations and a new epilogue from Jackie Guendouzi. This valuable text serves as a single interdisciplinary resource for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in cognitive neurosciences, psychology, communication sciences and disorders, as well as researchers new to the field of communication disorders or to psycholinguistic theory.




Dementia and Communication


Book Description




The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders


Book Description

An authoritative overview of language and speech disorders, featuring new and updated chapters written by leading specialists from across the field The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders, Second Edition, provides timely and authoritative coverage of current issues, foundational principles, and new research directions within the study of communication disorders. Building upon the reputation of the landmark first edition, this volume offers an exceptionally broad and in-depth survey of the field, presenting original chapters by internationally recognized specialists that examine an array of language, speech, and cognitive disorders and discuss the most crucial aspects of this evolving discipline while providing practical information on analytical methods and assessment. Now in its second edition, the Handbook features extensively revised and refocused content throughout, reflecting the latest advances in the field. Original and updated chapters explore diverse topics including literacy and literacy impairments, patterns of normal and disordered language development, hearing impairment and cochlear implants, language acquisition and language delay, dementia, dysarthria, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and many others. This acclaimed single-volume reference resource: Provides 26 original chapters which describe the latest in new research and which indicate future research directions Covers new developments in research since the original publication of the first edition Features in-depth coverage of the major disorders of language and speech, including new insights on perception, hearing impairment, literacy, and genetic syndromes Includes a series of foundational chapters covering a variety of important general principles, including labelling, diversity, intelligibility, assessment, and intervention The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders, Second Edition, is essential reading for researchers, scholars, and students in speech and language pathology, speech, language and hearing sciences, and clinical llinguistics, as well as active practitioners and clinicians.