Aphasia Camp Northwest is a joint program of Portland State University and Pacific University that provides supported communication strategies for persons living with aphasia and their loved ones along with outdoor recreational opportunities aplenty. Since it began in 1998, Aphasia Camp Northwest has helped hundreds of stroke survivors learn new ways to connect with one another and their families while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors on Oregon's Mt. Hood. The dates for this year's camp have been set -- August 24th-26th, 2012. You can download your application for camp by clicking here
Each year in late August, 40 stroke survivors with aphasia (a condition that results in speech and comprehension challenges) and their families spend one weekend hiking, fishing, crafting and more all the while enjoying the support of licensed speech, occupational and physical therapists as well as trained volunteers to better express themselves. For some stroke survivors with aphasia and their families, Aphasia Camp Northwest is a place to reacquaint themselves with activities they enjoyed before their stroke, or to find ways to adapt activities so they can enjoy them again. Loved ones are encouraged to attend and are welcome to join professional counselors in discussing support techniques for their family members and themselves. Please download our Frequently Asked Questions for even more information here
Of the 40 or so families who visit Aphasia Camp Northwest each year, about half drive up for the day while the rest spend the weekend in our cozy rooms, rustic cabins, or in their RVs at our ADA-accessible site on Mt. Hood. Our camp is designed to serve families from the Pacific Northwest, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and northern California, but we often have one or two families each year come from far away (even as far as Florida and New York). Our campers are of different ages and backgrounds and come with family members, friends, and other caregivers. Many come because they have experienced a stroke recently and are looking for support -- and, many are returning campers who come to share their own perspectives and experiences with those new to camp.
Those who attend the full weekend of camp pay a nominal fee that includes all expenses for two night’s lodging, meals and activities. Day trip attendees pay a reduced fee that includes meals and activities for the day. Scholarships are available to those who request such assistance.
We are pleased to offer Aphasia Camp Northwest’s Resource Guide for stroke
survivors and their families. The guide provides information on support groups,
legal aid, counseling, respite care, travel, and much more. You can download
your own copy of the guide by clicking
here or you can e-mail us at info@strokecampnorthwest.org
or call us at (503) 725-2360 to request a hard copy today.
If you would like to help promote Aphasia Camp Northwest in your community,
you can download this year's flyer by clicking
here or you can e-mail us at info@strokecampnorthwest.org
or call us at (503) 725-2360 to request more copies to post today.
Inquiries of all kinds should be sent to info@strokecampnorthwest.org or Aphasia Camp Northwest, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207. You can also reach us at (503) 725-2360.
Katie
Farrell, PT, DSc, GCS
Associate Professor
School of Physical Therapy
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Oregon)
Katie Farrell is a physical therapist and an Associate Professor in the School
of Physical Therapy at Pacific University. She received her BS degree in physical
therapy from Quinnipiac University, her MS degree in neuroscience physical
therapy from the University of Pittsburgh, and her DSc degree in geriatrics
from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. She is a Board Certified
Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy. As a clinician her areas of interest
are in rehabilitation for people with central nervous system dysfunction and
for older adults at risk for frailty and falling. Her areas of research interest
include measuring and improving balance and decreasing risk for falling in
older adults with dementia. She has enthusiastically been a part of Stroke
Camp Northwest since 2007.
Lynn
E. Fox, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences
Portland State University (Portland, Oregon)
Dr. Lynn Fox is a founding member of the Aphasia Camp Northwest leadership
team. She has been a team member since she began teaching at Portland State
University in 1998. Lynn worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinical
Training Coordinator at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center for 12
years before joining the PSU faculty. She ran an innovative recreation-focused
outpatient group therapy program for veterans and their families who were
living with aphasia, and she initiated interdisciplinary programs in the medical
center for individuals with progressive neurologic diseases and brain injuries.
Lynn enjoys working with students to conduct research investigating Stroke
Camp outcomes. She loves the outdoors, and sincerely believes that stroke
survivors and their caregivers should have a chance to enjoy the fresh scent
of pine needles and the sound of a rushing mountain stream – at least
once each year!
Susan
Ginley, M.A., CCC-SLP
Clinical Instructor
Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences
Portland State University (Portland, Oregon)
Susan is a Speech-Language Pathologist and a clinical instructor at Portland
State University and has been involved with Aphasia Camp Northwest since 2002.
Susan graduated from the University of Oregon and spent the next 16 years
working as a clinician in a hospital in Portland, Oregon. Her area of expertise
is acquired neurogenic communication issues such as aphasia. Her work as a
medical speech therapist gave her experience in working with stroke survivors
with aphasia but not in such a unique setting such as Stroke Camp. Susan believes
it is important to focus on people’s abilities instead of their disabilities.
At camp, Susan works closely with her colleagues to make camp a great experience
for everyone who attends: stroke survivors, families and students. Susan also
works with families living with aphasia in community-based self-help support
groups. When not at camp or teaching at PSU, Susan loves to travel –
or at least dream about traveling. She’s hoping to re-learn French and
travel to France in the future.
Susan
Poulsen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
Portland State University (Portland, Oregon)
Dr. Susan Poulsen's areas of interest include cultural communication studies;
intra-, inter-, and cross-cultural research utilizing qualitative approaches,
particularly the ethnography of communication. Her interests are in the speech
cognate area configurations such as culture/communication/cognition, time/space
and place and metaphor analysis. At Portland State University, Susan teaches
courses in Urban Communication, Intercultural Communication, Interpersonal
Communication, Communication Consultation, Qualitative Methods and Data Analysis,
and Metaphor and Narrative Analysis. She also holds a courtesy appointment
in the Department of Urban Studies and has links with the Institute for Metropolitan
Studies and Applied Linguistics.
Desirae Robbins, M.S., CCC-SLP
Clinical Instructor
Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences
Portland State University (Portland, Oregon)
Desirae Robbins is a Speech-Language Pathologist who works at the PSU Speech
and Hearing Clinic as a clinical supervisor and a part of Aphasia Camp Northwest
since 2009. Her clinical interests and areas of expertise include developing
functional communication outcomes for people living with chronic aphasia,
involving families and caregivers in treatment sessions, and facilitating
group treatment. In her spare time Desirae enjoys gardening, urban chicken
keeping and traveling.
Sandra
Rogers, Ph.D., OTR/L
Associate Professor
School of Occupational Therapy
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Oregon)
Sandra teaches neuroscience, pediatrics and research in the entry level Occupational
Therapy program at Pacific University since 2003. Sandra received her BS from
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ('84) a M.S. in Therapeutic Science
('91) and a Ph.D in Kinesiology ('97) from University of Wisconsin-Madison,
where she taught in the OT curriculum while pursuing her degrees. She has
15 years of teaching experience, clinical experience in adult and pediatric
neurorehabilitation. Her research interests are in the connection of mind
to body and how occupational therapy interventions influence physiological
functioning. Other than Aphasia Camp Northwest, Sandra supervises at-risk and
homeless youth projects and consults with a non-profit organization, Fuling
Kids International to provide services to children with special needs at a
social welfare institute in Fuling, China.
Beth
Kei Ruml, RN, LCSW
Patient Advocate
Cancer Support Services
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center (Portland, OR)
Beth has been involved with Aphasia Camp Northwest since 2007. She was invited
to join the staff to facilitate one of the support groups for stroke survivors’
loved ones. Beth appreciates the opportunity to give back to the stroke survivor
community because her father experienced a major stroke in 1996. Beth helped
with his care whenever she could. While aphasic, she knew that he understood
the "quality" of her presence whenever they were together. Professionally,
Beth works for Cancer Support Services at Providence St Vincent's. She is
a counselor and advocate for the Breast Center and works with women with breast
and gynecological cancers. She helps support patients and families through
cancer diagnosis and treatment. Beth also has 12 years of experience in Hospice
Care, with both Providence and Odyssey Hospices. Her personal interests include
dogs, camping, walking, and reading
BJ
Scott, PsyD
Assistant Professor
School of Professional Psychology
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Oregon)
BJ Scott is a rehabilitation psychologist and neuropsychologist and an Assistant
Professor in the School of Professional Psychology at Pacific University.
She received her BA degree in Psychology at Western Washington University,
and her MS and PsyD degrees in Clinical Psychology at Pacific University.
She completed internship training at the Missouri Health Sciences Psychology
Consortium and a residency fellowship at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA. As
a clinician, her interests include rehabilitation therapy with those experiencing
cognitive or physical disability, chronic illness, neurological disorders,
and recovery from brain injury including stroke. Special interests include
working with families and helping survivors explore issues of identity, connection
to others, and community integration. Research interests include neuropsychology
and investigating the efficacy of survivor and caregiver interventions. Personal
interests include exploring nature, walking, reading, and playing jazz piano.
She is an enthusiastic newcomer to Aphasia Camp Northwest this year.