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Vidatak is proud to offer one of the most honorable and useful augmentative communication innovations for the voice-impaired.

(PRWEB) September 23, 2004 - It can become extremely frustrating for patients who are unable to verbally communicate their needs and wants due to mechanical ventilation, stroke, or any other voice-impairing malady. This isolating and potentially life-threatening disability can lead to anxiety and stress not only for the patient, but for family members and the nursing staff as well. A new augmentative communication board from Vidatak seeks to overcome the barrier of nonverbal patient communication.

Called the EZ Board, this light-weight, portable, non-electronic augmentative communication device offers a bridge between the caretaker and the nonverbal patient. The EZ Board features preprinted text and images that the patient can point to, thus allowing a simple yet insightful form of augmentative communication. The verbally-disabled patient can quickly and easily express phrases that convey wants (“I want a pillow”), physical states (“I’m cold”), and instructions (“Brush my teeth”).

The back of the augmentative communication board holds a body chart to which the patient can point to any area in which they experience pain. Next to the chart lies a column of several words describing the type and degree of the pain. If the verbally-impaired patient needs to express more information, an area on the back of the augmentative communication board can be written on with non-toxic erasable markers.

Vidatak’s augmentative communication boards have been designed and validated by a two-year clinical study at UCLA. The study yielded comprehensive data showing that the majority of the nonverbal patients surveyed found Vidatak EZ Boards “an extremely useful (augmentative) communication tool.” The outstanding number of unrecognized needs for such a practical and helpful augmentative communication interface can be found in nursing homes, hospitals, and in the homes of nonverbal patients. Patsy Yeager, an EZ Board user, said, “I had two major surgeries on the same day. When I awoke in the recovery room, I had tubes in my mouth and nose and could not speak. My daughter brought an EZ Board to me and I was able to communicate all my needs through it. It is very easy to use because you can point, write, or spell your needs to everyone. I think it was crucial to my time in the recovery room to have had the EZ Board because it is frustrating…to be able to use only your eyes.”

With benefits ranging from being able to identify nonverbal patient’s needs, feelings, or state of mind, to asking about procedures beforehand, caretakers and patients who use the augmentative communication boards made by Vidatak will no longer be isolated from one another.

To receive free information regarding Vidatak’s augmentative communication products, or to order the EZ Board with either Spanish or English text, visit the Vidatak website at www.vidatak.com.

About Vidatak, LLC:
Established in 1999, Vidatak Enterprises began distributing their augmentative communication products to hospitals all over the country. By 2003, Vidatak had changed its name, ownership, and business models. Now, Vidatak, LLC continues to present their research findings and critical care patient augmentative communication aids at various conferences, seeking distributors in critical care, rehabilitation medicine, and speech pathology/therapy.

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Source :  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/9/prweb161101.htm