Talking Mats & Dementia
Researchers
from the University of Stirling have devised a new way for people with
dementia to make their views known. People with dementia often
experience communication difficulties and family, friends and staff in
different settings may need to find ways to communicate with them more
effectively.
Talking Mats is a low-tech, easily accessible, inexpensive tool that uses picture
symbols to help people with a communication difficulty to express
themselves more successfully. The simple framework of picture symbols
and textured mat allows people to indicate their feelings about various
options within a topic by placing the relevant image below a visual
scale. It is an approach which helps people to think about issues in a
different way.
The new Talking Mats & Dementia package has been developed by Speech and Language Therapists and Researchers, Joan Murphy and Jane Macer.
The
research that resulted in this package, and the package itself, were
funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The full report resulting
from the research: Communication and Dementia: How Talking Mats can help people with dementia to express themselves,
by Joan Murphy, Cindy M Gray and Sylvia Cox, is published by the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation and is available as a free download from www.jrf.org.uk
The
package includes a DVD showing how three people with dementia used
Talking Mats, a leaflet on Talking Mats & Dementia, and the
excellent source book, Talking Mats: A Resource to Enhance Communication.
The inclusion of an extensive symbol pack, comprising more than 50
symbols, a mat and some Velcro ensure that the package contains
everything required to get communicating. The package costs £99.95
(including vat), and is available from 1 November.
Details of further Talking Mats resources and Training may be found at www.talkingmats.com
For further information regarding Talking Mats & Dementia, or to request a review copy please contact:
Anna Fenge, Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator for Talking Mats,
Phone 01786 458105 and email info@talkingmats.com
Talking Mats, AAC Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Stirling FK4 4LA