ABSTRACT
This chapter explains ways of using digital photography to help people with language and cognitive limitations resulting from acquired neurological disorders. It addresses communicative supports for people with aphasia – an acquired symbolic processing impairment that frequently results from strokes and other injuries to the language-dominant hemisphere of the brain. The chapter extends the use of these supports to people struggling with both language and cognitive limitations because of progressive declines associated with dementia. It also addresses the use of digital photography to support people with traumatic brain injury who have impairment to the cognitive processes underlying communication. Recognition of the limited benefit people with aphasia receive from accessing grids displaying isolated images prompted exploration of contextually rich and personally relevant photographs as communication supports. Reminiscence therapy is a type of interaction that promotes the discussion of past experiences, usually with the aid of tangible props such as photographs, newspaper clippings and musical recordings.
