If You Lost The Ability To Speak, What Is The Message You Would Leave Your Kids?

Trinity student, Cíara Quinn needs the help of Ireland's mothers to aid in her research into message banking. The final year Clinical Speech and Language student is seeking answers to build a resource for the fascinating field of message banking – a way for people with progressive diseases to record messages for their loved ones to listen to after they have lost the ability to speak or after their death. This research is of particular interest to me as my father (who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's when I was 20) hasn't spoken to me in years, and I would love to hear his voice again. For all of us parents, the prospect that one day we will no longer be able to communicate with our babies is a hard thing to accept. Cíara has created a short survey to find out exactly what messages we mothers would like to leave for our children, and the results will ultimately contribute to a larger international project aiding people facing the difficult prospect of losing their speech or ability to communicate. Complete the study, it takes just 10 minutes and might just inspire you to create a message for your children. 1. How did you become interested in this particular area of research?

I first came across 'message banking' during a module in college. After finding out more information about what message banking actually is I became intrigued and wanted to carry out my research in this area. Message banking is so important for people who have lost their ability to communicate by facilitating them in maintaining both a sense of self and independence as well as maintaining closeness in relationships.

2. Do you have personal experience of these kinds of progressive disabilities? Is there someone in your life who can no longer communicate with you that inspired the research?

My boyfriend's uncle has a progressive neurological condition and has lost his ability to communicate. I have witnessed first hand the detrimental effect not being able to speak to his loved ones has had on him and the stress and upset it has also caused the family. Also prior to this, I had done a placement in college where I worked with people diagnosed with progressive neurological conditions. When I found out about message banking, I couldn't help but reflect on how message banking could have a positive impact on these people's lives.

3. What have been the dominant themes of the phrases mothers have chosen to record?

So far, the most common themes arising include the following: Phrases that express love. Phrases that give praise. Phrases of approval. Phrases of encouragement. Recordings of the child's favourite story or nursery rhyme.

4. What do you hope to achieve with the research?

I'm carrying out this research as part of my final year research project. My aim is to discover the phrases mothers would choose to record to maintain a relationship with their children if they knew they were going to lose their voice. The overarching aim of this project is to contribute the data collected to a larger international project aiming to provide a resource for clients posed with the difficult decision of what phrases they should choose to message bank.

5. How do you think our tech resources will inform the legacy we leave our loved ones in the future?

Technology will allow individuals who have progressive conditions maintain a sense of self and independence by being able to communicate unique personal phrases in their own voice. This will have also have a positive impact on their relationships with their loved ones. In terms of leaving behind a legacy, people may choose to record specific messages that their loved ones can have access to in the future should they no longer be around, for example, a wedding speech.

This short survey should take no longer than ten minutes and will contribute to the evolution of message banking.