Author: Carolyn Von Allmen

In August 2000, my husband, Erwin von Allmen, had a stroke leaving from aphasic and unable to read. Loss of reading ability is a devastating experience for someone who was a voracious reader.

After two years, Erwin and his sister, Lois V. Smith, developed a system using a combination of unabridged tapes and books that has enabled him to read books again. He uses a simple tape player made be Sony (Cassette-corder TMC 929). It is a table top model which has large buttons, and can be easility used by people with only one functional hand. It can be easily moved around. We color coded the buttons with small stickers glued on with rubber cement: green for go, red for stop, blue for rewind, and yellow for pause. The machine currently sells for about $25.00 found on Circuit City’s website circuitcity.com. Other simple machines may work as well that also play CDs.

Erwin cannot use earphones because of his aphasia. He cannot follow the story, but must use the tapes in the audio mode. Books and tapes are readily available from most public libraries. Books and unabridged tapes must be the same edition, and must be used together. In two years Erwin has read over 60+ books using this method. He started with “The Endurance” by Caroline Alexander. Elspeth Hotchkiss from Miami Shores, Florida helped her father to read again after his stroke. They were able to do this without professional help. Using this sytem, they started with “The Old Man and The Sea” by Ernest Hemingway, a good first choice, short and simple.

What is not known is whether this system will work for everyone. The first person who tried the system started with a commercially recorded tape, and was able to read after three years of not reading. While hospitals/therapists have shown reserve in using this system, they are showing interest now. Patients may have to get their own help in getting started. A partner would be helpful in learning to use buttons on the tape recorder, page turning, and other mechanical issues.

There is an article published in the clinical journal “Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation”. Fall 2003 issue, available on Adobe Reader 6.0, which described the system more completely. Also refer to the U.S. Magazine, Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists, September 20, 2004: “Stroke and Reading: Multimodal Approach to Accessing Ability”, and January 17, 2005 (Editor Letter). A half hour video “Recovering Reading Skills After Stroke” has been made by a public TV station (radnorstudio21.org) and shown locally and by other stations. Cost non-profit US 15 dollars for video duplication, handling and UPS (NO P.O. Boxes), payable to “Carolyn von Allmen”. Foreign delivery request a quote (Canada, PAL, SECAM VHS).

The system has also been written up in newspapers, magazines and other newsletters. If you would like this extra information, be sure we have your name and mailing address. WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN FINANCIAL GAIN. Any comments/suggestions would be welcome!

Carolyn von Allmen
P.O. Box 1884
Southeaster, PA 19399-1884 or her at: erwinvona@cs.com.

For the Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists, September 20, 2004: by clicking here.