The Kindness in Accessibility
Jun 1, 2026 | Faces of HDGH, Road to Recovery – Restorative Rehabilitative Care
Can you tell us a bit more about your position and program at HDGH?
My name is Ashley Morencie, and I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with HDGH’s Rehab Outreach Team. A medical Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), assesses and treats patients with cognitive-communication, language, motor speech, voice, fluency, and swallowing disorders. The Rehab Outreach program began in June 2016, and we specialize in providing personalized and patient-centered care to stroke patients in their homes as they continue with their rehabilitation journey. Our community stroke team brings therapy directly to patients' homes, eliminating the travel and mobility barriers that would otherwise prevent some patients from receiving care. We have an incredible and passionate team, which includes a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, four Certified Rehab Assistants, a Secretary and our team Manager. We also collaborate with a specialized stroke nurse who joins our weekly rounds, helping smoothly transition new patients into our program and coordinating vital medical updates with our Physiatrists (rehabilitation doctors).
May is Speech and Hearing Month – can you tell us a bit more about Communication Disorders and how they may impact patients?
A Communication Disorder is any condition that impairs a person’s ability to receive, send, process, or comprehend spoken, non-verbal, or written language. Some of the most common Communication Disorders include:
- Dysarthria – a motor speech disorder caused by brain or nerve damage that weakens or paralyzes the muscles used for speech. It can co-occur with aphasia and apraxia.
- Aphasia – a language disorder caused by brain damage, typically from a stroke or traumatic brain injury. A person may have a fluent or non-fluent type of aphasia. Aphasia affects language (reading, writing, processing, and speaking), not intellect.
- Apraxia – a neurological disorder where the brain struggles to plan and execute learned movements, despite the person having the physical ability, desire, and understanding to do so. For example, Apraxia of Speech is when the brain struggles to coordinate the lips, jaw, and tongue to produce clear, consistent sounds and words, even though the person knows what they want to say.
- Cognitive Communication Disorders – are communication impairments resulting from underlying cognitive deficits – such as memory, attention, or executive function issues. It affects how a person processes information and interacts socially, causing difficulties in organizing thoughts, staying on topic, understanding metaphors, and managing conversations.
As part of the Rehab Outreach Team, aphasia is one of the most common communication disorders I see in my patients, and I am deeply passionate about helping them re-integrate into the community.
The biggest barrier they face isn't their diagnosis—it is a lack of public awareness. Building understanding is the first step toward a truly inclusive world for people with speech and language difficulties.
Life becomes much easier for individuals with aphasia when the public knows how to connect with them. Too often, people mistakenly equate a language barrier with a lack of intelligence. A simple phrase like, "I know you know what you want to say," validates their intelligence and changes everything. In addition, you can support someone with aphasia by being patient, reduce your rate of speech, give them extra time, do not guess words, and verify you understood their intended message.
In your role, what are some tools you use to support patients with aphasia or other Communication Disorders?
When treating individuals with communication disorders, we have an incredible variety of supportive tools at our disposal. My clinical approach centers on using evidence-based therapeutic techniques, which I customize to match each patient's unique hobbies and personal interests. For instance, a patient and I will co-create a personalized script just for ordering a coffee. After practicing and building confidence in a controlled therapy setting, we head out into the community together so they can use their script in a real-life scenario.
Thanks to massive leaps in clinical research, our understanding of neuroplasticity—the brain’s natural ability to form new neural connections—has completely transformed therapy. We have shifted away from older compensatory techniques (which simply bypass a deficit) and moved toward restorative approaches that actively rebuild lost language skills.
For many patients, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are vital tools for expression. These communication aids can be as simple as a picture board or high-tech devices such as an iPad with dedicated AAC apps.
Beyond technology, practical tools matter just as much. I routinely provide my patients with personalized explanation cards to carry in their wallets. These cards discreetly explain their condition to strangers and outline exactly how others can help facilitate a smoother conversation.
Ultimately, the most powerful tool in any rehab journey is the network of family and friends who surround the patient every day. Communication is never a one-way street—it takes two to connect. By educating loved ones and equipping them with the right communication strategies, we transform support systems into lifelong advocates. In doing so, we don't just help one individual; we build a more empathetic, inclusive, and understanding society for everyone living with a communication disorder.
What would you want the general public to know about supporting an accessible environment?
I think the first step in creating an accessible environment for anyone, is an increased awareness and understanding that not all disabilities are visible. Studies show that people with aphasia are at an increased risk of social isolation and depression because challenges with communication can impact a person's social participation, specifically, their ability to take part in activities that provide meaningful interactions with others. If more people were aware of these disorders and how to best accommodate, people with communication disorders would feel more comfortable getting back to life after an illness.
Educating employees on communication disorders and incorporating some training of employees supportive communication strategies would be a fantastic first step in making environments more accessible. Some restaurants already have apps with pictures of menu items, which is very helpful to those with aphasia who may have reading comprehension difficulties.
Ultimately, fostering accessibility requires a collective effort to practice daily patience and remember that many disabilities are completely invisible. We can actively build a supportive communication environment by making small, practical adjustments, such as minimizing background noise and verifying that we have truly understood the speaker's message. While people generally mean well, they often pretend to understand a person with a communication disorder to avoid hurting their feelings. However, pretending to understand actually increases frustration. It is always better to politely ask the person to repeat themselves or to repeat what you heard back to them. Taking the time to ensure the message is accurate prevents communication breakdowns and creates a genuinely respectful, inclusive interaction.
Why did you choose this work? And why did you choose to join HDGH’s Accessibility Committee?
My path to becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist was anything but linear, but looking back, every step made perfect sense. Growing up in a family of educators—both of my parents and my sister are teachers—I naturally inherited a love for learning and a strong desire to work with children. However, when it was time to apply for Teacher’s College, job opportunities were scarce. My cousin, who is an SLP, suggested that I explore the profession, as I can still work with children and for the school board.
That plan changed completely in a single day.
During an acute care hospital rotation, I was paired with an incredible clinical educator named Helga. Watching her connect with stroke patients and their families during some of the most frightening, vulnerable moments of their lives was a wonderful and inspiring opportunity.
After my placement with Helga, I pivoted completely, dedicating the remainder of my clinical training to adult neurogenics. Throughout my career, I have had the unique privilege of working across the entire continuum of stroke care. This journey allowed me to gain invaluable experience with patients at every critical stage—from the high-pressure moments of their initial admission in the emergency department to their intensive recovery during inpatient rehabilitation.
While I deeply loved my fast-paced role in acute care, my passion ultimately gravitated toward the long-term rehabilitation phase, specifically within the patient’s home environment. There is something incredibly powerful about delivering therapy where real life happens. Working in the home allows me to target highly functional, real-world skills in real time.
Crucially, this setting allows for the integration of the family into the therapeutic process, which is essential for ensuring continued progress and successful carryover of skills. Involving children and grandchildren in the rehabilitation journey can be particularly impactful. Having experience with stroke survivors who have young families, it is clear how significant this transition is for children. A key focus of this practice involves helping younger family members understand why a parent or grandparent may sound different than before and providing them with the tools to become effective communication partners for their loved ones. So in a way, I still have the opportunity to work with children too.
I chose to apply to join HDGH’s Accessibility Committee because I wanted to use my knowledge and expertise on Communication Disorders to ease the burden for the patients at our hospital. It’s my goal to increase awareness and in turn, help our organization make improvements – such as signage, picture supports on our meal menus, staff training – that will benefit not only patients with Communication Disorders, but all patients and clients who come through our doors.
About the Author
Ashley Morencie is a Speech-Language Pathologist with Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s Rehab Outreach Team. Ashley holds an Undergraduate degree from the University of Windsor in Kinesiology, completed a prep year for the SLP program at Wayne State University, and obtained her Master’s of Clinical Science, Speech-Language Pathology from Western University in 2012.
She has worked as an SLP for almost 14 years with experience across the case continuum, having worked at Victoria Hospital - London Health Sciences Centre, Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus, and now HDGH, where she supported inpatients, outpatients, and Rehab Outreach.
Ashley is a proud and passionate member of our HDGH Accessibility Committee, lending her voice and expertise to increasing awareness and inclusivity at our organization.
Ashley is married to her high school sweetheart and shares two children, Miles and Madison, with whom she instills the value of kindness and patience for everyone they meet, raising the next generation of supportive and accepting individuals.