UM birding program can help stroke survivors with aphasia

On the wooded University of Montana campus, resident Cooper's hawks are helping people recover from stroke.

Each summer, stroke survivors enrolled in UM's Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program take part in community- and curiosity-driven bird-related activities.

Birding, it seems, provides a natural, low-pressure setting that encourages communication through shared attention and curiosity. Bird researchers and speech-language experts offer the healing activities under the auspices of UM's Big Sky Aphasia Program.

The linguistic demand is low, and people can participate at whatever level they want."

Dr. Jenna Musick, co-director, UM's Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program 

With research about the program now published in the journal Frontiers in Bird Science, the team is focused on measuring outcomes, training clinicians, and expanding the model so that similar programs can benefit stroke survivors with aphasia beyond Montana.

The partnership began in 2021 on an outdoor campus patio. ICAP participants expressed an interest in learning more about owls as part of their rehabilitation activities. Owl artifacts, including preserved specimens and related materials, sparked participants' curiosity and created opportunities to practice conversation.

The activity evolved into an ongoing collaboration between Dr. Victoria Dreitz, an avian ecologist in UM's Wildlife Biology Program, and Musick and Catherine Off, researchers who are campus experts in stroke rehabilitation and research in the School of Speech-language, Hearing and Occupational Sciences.

From owl artifacts to nesting Cooper's hawks, the partnership has grown into an essential component of the UM birding program, with avian observation demonstrating how nature experiences support communicative participation, engagement and quality of life for people with aphasia.

An acquired neurologic disorder, aphasia is usually a chronic condition that affects language and communication. One-third of stroke survivors experience aphasia and often have trouble speaking, understanding spoken language, and reading and writing. The condition can negatively impact people's ability to participate in their communities, leading to isolation and depression.

"Aphasia is an identity theft," said Dr. Off, who co-directs UM's Big Sky Aphasia Program. "People with aphasia do not have intellectual challenges. They are themselves inside their own head. The challenge is that their language function has changed."

She said the most effective rehabilitation strategies incorporate clinical treatment with opportunities for meaningful engagement in real life.

"Communication function doesn't improve until you want to communicate about something," Off said. "We're out of the therapy room now. We're saying: Enjoy being with people, enjoy being outside and let the communication come."

Perhaps surprisingly, birds are particularly well suited for this approach. And with its wilderness-adjacent landscape, UM is home to many species of birds and is an ideal location to offer bird-centered experiences to onsite participants of the clinical program.

Dreitz said bird watching in group settings supports engagement through shared attention while participating in a nature experience – both of which have been shown to improve well-being. Birdsong and calls, bird movements and seasonal rhythms, and birds' nearly universal presence in both urban and rural areas make them both accessible and interesting.

"Birds are one of those rare things where your entry point can be anywhere – from sitting and staring out a window to mapping out a trail to see a unique species," Dreitz said. "You can start where you're at. What do you have in your backyard? That's what it's about."

The Avian Science Center at UM is a national leader in bird and natural resource conservation. Dreitz directs the center, which embraces interdisciplinary research and collaborates with local, national and international organizations to address complex conservation challenges.

But its most unique collaboration, Dreitz said, is the partnership with speech-language pathology, which reflects UM's commitment to interdisciplinary learning.

Communication challenges like aphasia often leave people feeling disconnected from former identities and activities.

"People may feel they can't return to the hobbies they once loved, but finding a new passion can create excitement and purpose," said Musick.

Working side by side, the team supports ICAP participants through bird-centered engagement. Stroke survivors discuss what they see, ask questions, help one another use equipment and continue conversations with their families afterward.

"They go home that night and talk to their care partners about it," Musick said. "It creates ongoing conversation."

Unique to UM, this program reflects the University's commitment to combining innovative programs, natural environments and interdisciplinary opportunities that deliver meaningful impact.

"This is so Montana," Musick said. "Now, how do we make this part of what rehabilitation looks like?"