In Reply to: Caregiver for 75 year old lady with CP posted by Marsha on September 28, 2000 at 16:31:05:

I am a 42 y.o. "lady" with CP, confined to electric chair, can not speak, I use a Dynavox, an electronic device that has a touch board with various messages programmed into it. I live at a state facility and they have the speech therapist program what I need into it. I use a series of hand signals , ie. clasped hands = yes, clasped forearms no, and a few others you could teach your client.
Connies Nurse: In the hospital where I worked in an intensive care unit where many people were on life support, and were not able to speak. We made sign boards with simple pictures and words, like a glass/drink, bedpan/ toilet, fork/eat, etc. we had it laminated at an office supply store and had pasted it to heavy cardboard. Later there were also some that were commercially made, check with your local Easter Seals, or Community Hospital or Rehab centers Speech Therapy dept. They may be able to help you. Good Luck. sd