Relationship Centered Aphasia Program (RCAP)
Has aphasia changed your interaction with friends and family?
Do you withdraw from doing things you enjoyed before your aphasia?
Are you spending more time alone and do you want to connect with people?
Have you been told you are unable to make further progress?
Do you believe your aphasia can improve?
Are you ready to invest in your aphasia recovery?
If you answered "YES!" to any of these questions, iCommunicare can help you.
Abbe Simon's relationship-centered program is tailored to maximize an individual's communication. A shared decision-making approach acknowledges the importance of client goals. This includes more than the relationship between client and clinician in order to promote successful communication along a continuum.
Relationship Centered Aphasia Program (RCAP) is designed for clients and their care partners who are able to commit to intense rehabilitation so they may find a "new normal" for communication success. RCAP becomes "OUR" program; something shared among everyone involved in the rehabilitation process.
Aphasia does not just affect the person who has it. Intensive therapy offers clients to address communication needs in all relationships.
What makes RCAP unique?
With a focus on the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA), RCAP offers a combination of therapeutic intervention, counseling, and care-partner training. Intensive, interactive sessions with an expert Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) provide communication goals and tools for all language modalities (speaking, writing, reading, understanding). The unique approach is asset-based, empathic, expressive, and relational to optimize success for every client – beyond a traditional therapy setting. Programs include "real-life" opportunities to use communication strengths and gains with a SLP in places of client interest, e.g., coffee shop, hardware store.
About RCAP Treatment
Relationship-centered aphasia programs are developed to provide clients the opportunity to commit to intense and purposeful rehabilitation. Sessions are provided 4 days a week for 3 hours a day, for 2-3 consecutive weeks. In addition, it is recommended that clients attend group sessions at Triangle Aphasia Project, Unlimited. The luxury of extended sessions allows clients to optimize engagement and consistency. The core of RCAP integrates different relationships in your life to enhance communication with more than one person.
Skilled sessions are client-driven and tailored to maximize an individual's communication success. Each RCAP begins with a 30-minute intake with the client and care partners, to establish personal areas of interest, baseline skills, current and future goals.
All sessions include the use of a client’s individual strengths and strategies to promote maximum communication through all language modalities in a variety of contexts. Sessions include life participation goals in and out of the treatment room, communication partner training, use of technology, and music therapy options. Programs are scheduled on a monthly basis.
Why Does Intensity Matter?
Skilled and structured intervention with an experienced Speech Language Pathologist can improve rehabilitation success. Research demonstrates that frequency and consistency strengthen language outcomes because:
- Aphasia improves.
- There is NO PLATEAU in aphasia recovery.
- Neuroplasticity is real – your brain continues to grow and recover!!
- Your brain can learn to do new things.
- Repeating learned skills enforces change.
Research demonstrates greater improvement in aphasia when treatment is conducted for at least two hours a day for at least two weeks.
Read more about the importance of intensity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Offering in-person and telehealth services.
Schedule a free consultation to determine the best treatment plan for your individual needs.
An initial, free 30-minute consultation is arranged by phone or video conference to establish what services are best suited for your needs. If intensive therapy is deemed appropriate, a program schedule will be offered. Should RCAP not be considered at the time of Consultation, iCommunicare staff will provide recommendations to continue speech therapy with your current therapist and/or provide other options for support.
Tele-practice is available for those who are unable to make in-person sessions. It provides individuals and their family members to participate with iCommunicare should distance, travel, or other conditions prevent in-person meetings.