For people with primary progressive aphasia, a language-led dementia, having conversations becomes increasingly difficult as the language function declines. This thesis shows that speech and language therapy can support people with primary progressive aphasia and their family members to have meaningful conversations.
The thesis explored how everyday conversations between people with primary progressive aphasia and their family members unfolded in interaction, and whether speech and language therapy could help people with primary progressive aphasia to have meaningful conversations.
The thesis found that people with primary progressive aphasia and their family members used strategies to keep the conversational flow. However, the thesis also found that specific speech and language therapy approaches were helpful. These approaches have been developed and previously studied in English-speaking contexts. This thesis demonstrates that these approaches can easily be adapted to the Norwegian context. The thesis reports on the first research in Norway to explore how speech and language therapy might support people with primary progressive aphasia. The results are encouraging and provide a basis for more research, which may lead to better services for people with primary progressive aphasia and their family members.
Ingvild Elisabeth Winsnes successfully defended her thesis on 29 May 2026.
Trial lecture
Designated topic: Delivering person/family centered care to people with Primary Progressive Aphasia and their families: Opportunities and challenges from a Norwegian perspective.
Evaluation committee
- Clinical Senior Lecturer Jacqueline Kindell, The University of Manchester (first opponent)
- Lektor Jytte Kjærgaard Isaksen, University of Southern Denmark (second opponent)
- Professor Toril Opsahl, University of Oslo (committee administrator)
Chair of the defence
- Senior Lecturer Anna C. Horn, University of Oslo
Supervisors
- Associate Professor Marja Etelämäki, University of Oslo
- Professor Monica I. Norvik, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
- Associate Professor Anna Volkmer, University College London