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“THERE IS
A HUGE SHORTAGE OF NURSES IN
ONCOLOGY, AND TCU IS DOING ITS PART TO
HELP MEET THE DEMAND,”
CENTER DIRECTOR
SUZY LOCKWOOD SAID.
A long-awaited dream has finally become reality at the Miller
Speech & Hearing Clinic (MSHC) for Maria L. Muñoz, associate
professor and coordinator of the emphasis in bilingual speech-
language pathology. The new Bilingual Aphasia Support Group
(BASG) began in February, and is the first of its kind in North Texas.
Muñoz, a professor at TCU for seven years, teaches, conducts
research and provides clinical supervision in the area of acquired
communication impairments in adults with neurological disorders.
She primarily supervises and works with students enrolled in
the emphasis in bilingual speech-language pathology within
the Communication Sciences & Disorders graduate program.
This bilingual program began in 1980 and is one of the oldest in
the nation.
Muñoz also teaches and supervises at the “Neuro Clinic” at
the MSHC, which aids adults who have communication or
swallowing impairments due to neurological injury. When she
first arrived at TCU there were no Spanish-speaking clients in the
neurological program.
“The need in the community is tremendous,”Muñoz said. “Research
shows that Hispanic adults tend to have strokes at a younger age.”
This free support group is a community service for those with
aphasia and for their caregivers. It also is a learning opportunity
that provides students with experience speaking to someone who
has aphasia while being observed by Muñoz, who has experience
with this underserved population.
“Our emphasis is on Spanish-speaking and bilingual individuals,
because there are few Spanish-language services in the community
for this population,” Muñoz said.
“I had always dreamed of having a group like this,” Munoz said. The
support group was created after models from The National Aphasia
Association as well as a similar English-speaking group that meets
at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital.
“The idea of offering this bilingual group for speakers of Spanish
and/or English was specifically mine,” Muñoz said. “Most of the
research that has been done with aphasia has been conducted
with English speakers. My research and clinical questions focus on
the needs and interests of Latinos who have aphasia.” She plans to
conduct research pertaining to some of the clients who attend the
support group.
One benefit for participants is to see other individuals with aphasia.
Muñoz explained many clients believe they are the only ones who
have this problem; seeing others with similar impairments may
empower them. “There is a lot of power that comes from seeing
other people who are like you, and hearing about their struggles
and successes,” Muñoz said.
Three generations of the Garcia family attend the group sessions
each month. While his young grandson plays in the background,
popping over occasionally to share a candy or a smile, Enrique
Garcia, his wife, daughter and son-in-law participate in the
conversation. They attend the group to give and receive support
from people who have faced the same struggles and challenges.
FROM DREAM
TO REALITY
BILINGUAL APHASIA
SUPPORT GROUP IS FIRST OF
ITS KIND IN NORTH TEXAS
By Andrea Hein
FEATURES
Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences ·
6