Speech ​Assistive Tech Products for Adults Win Innovation Award

BOSTON, November – SAY IT WITH SYMBOLS, a caregiver-owned business received an award for creating innovative, assistive communication products to help adults with speech difficulties from stroke, aphasia and brain injuries, and their caregivers, live more actively and independently.

Aligning with National Family Caregiver Month in November, Randi Sargent, founder of Giving Greeting Publishing received a recognition award from Massachusetts State Representative Carmine Gentile, 13^th Middlesex District, for small business manufacturing innovation (see photo). As a caregiver to a nonspeaking adult son, Sargent creates communication boards, books and spelling aids designed to help adults with speech challenges communicate their care needs with their families, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Her unique brand, Say it with Symbols products, were created specifically for nonspeaking adults are easy to use, require no tech and do not require a prescription.

Providing care for a loved one with speech and/or physical disabilities is very stressful for families. National Family Caregiving, celebrated annually in November, recognizes and honors more than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, who provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member, friend or veteran.(1) According to the American Speech and Hearing association, as many as 9.4 million adults report having a problem using their voice that lasted one week or longer due to strokes, aphasia, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and cognitive disabilities.(2)

“When a loved one is recovering from a stroke or accident and is not able to speak, caregiving can be even more challenging. Not being able to communicate pain or emotions is very frustrating. Caregivers often rely on charades to guess when their loved one wants. Pointing to pictures allows everyone to understand and helps give better care,” said Sargent.

Picture communication aids are used extensively to help nonverbal children receiving special education and speech support. Few assistive products exist for adults who may not be able to afford on-going speech therapy after an accident or surgery or use a high-tech speech generating devices (AAC). Say it with Symbols no-tech assistive devices are affordable, do not require programming or Wi-Fi and can be used in any setting.

About Say it with Symbols

Giving Greetings Publishing is owned by Randi Sargent, a woman, caregiver-owned business that designs picture communication products for adults and elderly users and their caregivers. Say it with Symbols brand products are available online from SayitwithSymbols.com, Amazon, Walmart.com and Etsy. For more information contact Randi Sargent at rsargent@sayitwithsymbols.com.

#NationalFamilyCaregiversMonth #NFCMonth #familycaregivers
#AAC #aphasia #strokerecovery #speechtherapy #sayitwithsymbols #assistivedevices

• (1)https://www.caregiveraction.org/caregiver-statistics/
• (2)https://www.asha.org/about/press-room/quick-facts/#:~:text=Approximately%209.4%20million%20adults%20report,million%20Americans%20suffer%20from%20aphasia.