A guest vlog: Carl Schroeder believes that we the Deaf can use American Sign Language (ASL) to make an outstanding contribution to the medicine world. People suffering Alzheimer's disease could benefit from using ASL for communication. Carl's guest Jacey Phillips shares her outstanding vlog about her mother with Alzheimer's. It's amazing, and Carl urges that we write and encourage research into the use of ASL with people suffering Alzheimer's. Write or make a vlog to www.alz.org.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
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7 comments:
Carl,
My family and I do appreciate that you made this blog about my mother.
Our wishes to see this would help others and share this experience on ASL
Thank You again Carl!
Cheers, Jacey
Thanks for Sharing, Jacey.
That is very interesting to me....
Jacey,
What a very touching story. ASL or any sign language can move a mountain. It is a unique language God has ever given to people who cannot hear!
I must thank you, Carl, for inviting Jacey to vlog on your site. Thank you, Jacey, for sharing the beautiful and inspiring story.
P.S. I remember very well that an oralist entered a lecture hall at an AGBell conference to abruptly lash out at the AGBell president for discouraging deaf people from learning sign language. "Look at me," he said, "I have been informed by my doctor that I have an incurable disease that is gradually blinding my vision. I wish I had learned ASL when I was a child!"
So I would like to echo George Veditz's famous saying: "...sign language is the noblest gift God gives to deaf people."
This could pose questions for Alzheimer's and other brain research.
Is the brain wired differently for motor language like ASL than for spoken? Is the memory stored differently, in a more durable part of the brain? Is the concept of language itself in a deeper part of the brain than the auditory cortex?
It has been said that aphasia due to stroke affects the same way whether spoken or signed language. Does this mean Alzheimer's is a different mechanism of affecting the brain than stroke?
Interesting questions. Thanks, Carl and Jacey for bringing this up.
G-day Carl,
Thanks for letting Jacey's vlog to share her experience with us on your site.
Jacey, you have created and explored the benefit of ASL as a release from her frustration of coping with Alzheimer's symptoms. My classmate did his thesis on alzheimer's disease and art therapy from our art therapy clinic this year.
He said that his work with clients in art therapy clinic here has been shown to be a useful tool for people with Alzheimer's and helped them to express their feelings when they can no longer do with words. And also they gradually lost the ability to express themselves with words, other parts of their brain that deal with colors and composition can still be used and developed.
Now I am interested to know about anyone with Alzheimer's disease using ASL and art therapy together. Jacey, you may try the basic art activity and ASL together with your mother. It will be an interesting vlog if anyone is willing to share this with us.
Great vlog! :-)
Kim
Dianrez has raised an intereting question. Dr. Ursula Bellugi of the
Salk Institute has been studying the brains of deaf signers for more than 35 years. She would love to see Jacey's vlog if she would agree to send a copy of her vlog to Dr. Bellugi.
(By the way, Dr. Bellugi has received an honourable doctorate degree from Gallaudet this month.)
HI Jean Boutcher,
You may send Dr.Bellugi my vlog from youtube. I seem cannot find Dr.Bellugi's website, I would be very grateful if you let me know? You can e mail me at youtube... Thank you.
Cheer, Jacey
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