In this week’s episode, we recognise the inaugural International Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) Awareness Day 2025 coming up this Friday on 4 April 2025. Kym, Speech Pathology Australia’s Senior Advisor- Aged Care, speaks with Scott Cooper a dementia advocate living with PPA, and his speech pathologist Dr Penelope Monroe from FRONTIER's PPA Communication Project, at University of Sydney. Scott talks about his experiences, his work as a dementia advocate, and the impact speech pathology has made to his and his family’s life, as he says, “It just makes life easier."

Resources:

International Primary Progressive Aphasia Awareness Day: https://speechtherapyppa.com/ppa-awareness-day.html

Primary Progressive Aphasia Guide: https://aphasia.org.au/aphasia/primary-progressive-aphasia/

PPA - A Call to Action video – Ffion Walker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fPT34jGWNk

Find a speech pathologist search: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Shared_Content/Smart-Suite/Smart-Maps/Public/Find-a-Speech-Pathologist.aspx

SPA resources:

Working with people with lived experience of dementia practice guideline: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/resource?resource=920

Speech Pathology Australia acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of lands, seas and waters throughout Australia, and pay respect to Elders past and present. We recognise that the health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are grounded in continued connection to culture, country, language and community and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

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