Dear Tymanda,
First of all I want to give my heartfelt sympathies to you, your partner, and of course your partner’s mother, because any debilitating disease or injury affects not only the patient but the family as well. One recommendation I have for you, since you are a nursing student, is to get as much information from the patient’s physician as possible. I say that because they are the most informed on all of the specific changes taking place in the patient’s brain and body. So, if possible ask a lot of questions. Secondly, since you accessed this website, do so again, because there is some great information about Primary Progressive Aphasia on this website. One of the articles is written by Joseph Duffy who is the leading researcher in the area of PPA and language deterioration. If necessary, you could contact him, as well, with your questions. And finally, in the area of treatment, I think the best recommendation is for you to ask to have an evaluation done by a certified speech pathologist who can assess the patient’s current level of language functioning. At this time, PPA is thought to cause a deterioration of language abilities. However, treatment may slow the rate of deterioration. Also the patient may be able to learn compensation strategies, so that some form of communication could continue when and if her language begins to deteriorate. And finally, there are augmentative forms of communication, which through the course of the patient’s rehabilitation, could be attempted and assessed to see how willing the patient would be using something of this nature.
Good Luck! If I can be of any further assistance, please write again.
Carole Pomilio