Welsh language support essential for stroke survivors

Stroke survivors who speak Welsh should get an equal opportunity to rebuild their life, according to The Stroke Association.

The charity is pledging to meet the needs of more Welsh-speaking stroke survivors with the launch of their new Welsh Language policy. Providing health care services in the language of someone’s choice has been long recognised as important to their care and for stroke survivors can be vital for recovery.

Arnot Hughes, 74 from Llandaff, Cardiff had a stroke in February 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic forced a national lockdown. He left hospital after 10 days with a common post-stroke communication difficulty called aphasia, “I could not speak at all when I left hospital. I had six weeks of speech and language therapy online but this was only available in English and was not enough. I am bilingual but Welsh is what I speak day-to-day. I made more rapid progress with my English because of the online zoom sessions, but I struggled to speak Welsh with my family.

“It was only the perseverance of my wife which has enabled me to start speaking Welsh. The hospital told me no Welsh language offer was available so it was her research that helped me in my recovery. We practice as a family but it would have been so much more beneficial to have speech and language therapy in Welsh. Perseverance is definitely the key and I can see the improvements I have made but it has been very difficult.”

Arnot helped initiate the grŵp paned a sgwrs, which was recently set up as part of the Stroke Associations’ Community Steps project. It is an informal peer support chat group for people across Wales who want to converse through the Welsh language.

Arnot said, “It is good to be able to speak to my peers in Welsh and have the opportunity to practice my daily Welsh conversation with other stroke survivors who have had a similar experience to myself and will hopefully help others who want to communicate more in Welsh with their recovery as well.”

The Stroke Association offers a number of services in the Welsh language including, information, the online stroke information tool “My Stroke Guide” and the Stroke helpline also offers a call back service with a Welsh speaker.

Katie Chappelle, Associate Director for Wales said, “The Stroke Association is committed to providing the highest level of service to everyone who speaks and reads Welsh. We are proud of our presence in Wales, and of our Welsh-speaking stroke survivors, volunteers and staff. The Welsh Language is a well-established part of the rich tapestry of Wales and we understand for those who speak Welsh, it is a central part of their life and an important part of the culture and community. We believe everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. For Welsh speakers, we know that this means supporting you in your language of choice. That’s why we are working to increase and build on the support we can already offer through the medium of Welsh.”

Aled Roberts, the Welsh Language Commissioner said, “It’s been a privilege supporting Stroke Cymru develop their Cynnig Cymraeg, our new policy which aims to better promote Welsh language service to the public. We believe that stroke survivors deserve to receive their health care through the medium of Welsh, if that’s their chosen language. We welcome the fact that Stroke Cymru recognises that language shouldn’t be a choice, but a right for first language Welsh speakers.”

Mae Cymorth Cymraeg yn hanfodol i oroeswyr strôc

Dylai goroeswyr strôc sy’n siarad Cymraeg gael cyfle cyfartal i ailadeiladu eu bywydau, yn ôl y Gymdeithas Strôc.

Mae’r elusen yn addo bodloni anghenion mwy o oroeswyr strôc Cymraeg eu hiaith trwy lansio ei pholisi Iaith Gymraeg newydd. Cydnabuwyd ers tro bod darparu gwasanaethau gofal iechyd yn newis iaith unigolyn yn bwysig i’w ofal, ac fe all fod yn allweddol i wellhad goroeswyr strôc.

Cafodd Arnot Hughes, sy’n 74 oed o Landaf, Caerdydd, strôc ym mis Chwefror 2020, ychydig cyn i bandemig y coronafeirws orfodi cyfnod clo cenedlaethol. Gadawodd yr ysbyty ar ôl 10 niwrnod gydag anhawster cyfathrebu sy’n gyffredin ar ôl strôc, sef affasia. “Doeddwn i ddim yn gallu siarad o gwbl pan adawes i’r ysbyty. Fe ges i chwe wythnos o therapi lleferydd ac iaith ar-lein, ond roedd ar gael yn Saesneg yn unig ac nid oedd yn ddigon. Rwy’n ddwyieithog ond Cymraeg yw’r iaith dwi’n ei siarad o ddydd i ddydd. Daeth fy Saesneg ymlaen yn gynt oherwydd y sesiynau Zoom ar-lein, ond roeddwn i’n cael trafferth siarad Cymraeg gyda fy nheulu.

“Dim ond trwy ddyfalbarhad fy ngwraig dwi wedi gallu dechrau siarad Cymraeg. Dywedodd yr ysbyty wrtha i nad oedd gwasanaeth ar gael yn y Gymraeg, felly ei gwaith ymchwil hi oedd wedi fy helpu i wella. Rydyn ni’n ymarfer fel teulu, ond byddai wedi bod gymaint yn fwy buddiol cael therapi lleferydd ac iaith yn Gymraeg. Mae dyfalbarhad yn allweddol ac fe alla’ i weld y gwelliannau dwi wedi’u gwneud, ond mae wedi bod yn anodd iawn.”

Helpodd Arnot i gychwyn y Grŵp Paned a Sgwrs a sefydlwyd yn ddiweddar yn rhan o brosiect Camau Cymunedol y Gymdeithas Strôc. Grŵp cymorth gan gymheiriaid anffurfiol ydyw ar gyfer pobl ledled Cymru sydd eisiau sgwrsio yn Gymraeg.

Dywedodd Arnot, “Mae’n dda gallu siarad Cymraeg â’m cyfoedion a chael cyfle i ymarfer sgwrsio yn Gymraeg bob dydd gyda goroeswyr strôc eraill sydd wedi cael profiad tebyg i mi. Gobeithio y bydd yn helpu eraill sydd eisiau cyfathrebu mwy yn Gymraeg i wella hefyd.”

Mae’r Gymdeithas Strôc yn cynnig nifer o wasanaethau yn Gymraeg, gan gynnwys gwybodaeth a’r offeryn gwybodaeth strôc ar-lein “Fy Nghanllaw Strôc”, ac mae’r llinell gymorth strôc yn cynnig gwasanaeth dychwelyd galwad gan siaradwr Cymraeg.

Dywedodd Katie Chappelle, Cyfarwyddwr Cyswllt Cymru, “Mae’r Gymdeithas Strôc wedi ymrwymo i ddarparu gwasanaeth o’r safon uchaf i bawb sy’n siarad ac yn darllen Cymraeg. Rydym yn falch o’n presenoldeb yng Nghymru, ac o’n goroeswyr strôc, ein gwirfoddolwyr a’n staff Cymraeg eu hiaith. Mae’r Gymraeg yn rhan hen sefydledig o dapestri cyfoethog Cymru ac rydym yn deall ei bod yn rhan ganolog o fywyd pobl sy’n siarad Cymraeg ac yn rhan bwysig o’r diwylliant a’r gymuned. Credwn fod pawb yn haeddu byw’r bywyd gorau y gallant ar ôl strôc. I siaradwyr Cymraeg, rydym yn gwybod bod hyn yn golygu eich cynorthwyo yn eich dewis iaith. Dyna pam rydym yn gweithio i gynyddu ac ychwanegu at y cymorth y gallwn eisoes ei gynnig trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.”

Dywedodd Aled Roberts, Comisiynydd y Gymraeg, “Bu’n fraint cynorthwyo Strôc Cymru i ddatblygu eu Cynnig Cymraeg, sef ein polisi newydd sy’n ceisio hyrwyddo’r gwasanaeth Cymraeg yn well i’r cyhoedd. Credwn fod goroeswyr strôc yn haeddu cael gofal iechyd trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, os dyna’u dewis iaith. Croesawn y ffaith bod Strôc Cymru yn cydnabod y dylai iaith fod yn hawl, yn hytrach na dewis, i siaradwyr Cymraeg iaith gyntaf.”