One in five people who have a stroke will develop problems involving their mental or cognitive abilities. Lets explore the cognitive treatment options for stroke-survivors. After a stroke, a survivor can have difficulty with memory, comprehension, language and communication. These changes are scary, but are often treatable. Memory loss after stroke is quite common, with short-term memory being the most frequently affected. A person experiencing this may remember events from forty years earlier, but may be unable to recall what they had for breakfast. Some experience difficulty with verbal memory and cant recall names or stories. Others have trouble with visual memory and find it hard to distinguish faces and locations. People with all types of memory loss may benefit from working with an occupational therapist, who can teach them coping mechanisms. Some basic techniques that may help include following a rigid routine each day, and always putting things away in the same places. Aphasia is a language disorder which results in partial or total loss of the ability to speak, comprehend, read, or write. There are currently one million people in America who have one of the three types of aphasia: Wernickes aphasia, Brocas aphasia and Global aphasia. People with Wernickes aphasia have comprehension difficulties. They usually have little trouble talking, but often say words and sentences that dont make sense. For example, a person might call a knife a gleeble. Brocas aphasia results in difficulty both with forming complete sentences and with the rules of grammar. People with Brocas aphasia often speak in short statements like walk home. The most severe form is global aphasia. People with global aphasia can barely speak or understand what is being said to them. In addition, they can no longer read or write. Most people with aphasia benefit from close work with a speech or language therapist. A therapist will work on restoring language ability and on learning compensating methods of communication, like using pictures. Multiple strokes can also produce a decline in intellectual ability. This results in a common form of dementia called vascular dementia.. People with vascular dementia may experience difficulty with calculations and problem-solving. They may also find it difficult to learn new skills or to access information that can help them make decisions. There is currently no cure for vascular dementia, so its important for people with this form of mental decline to be honest about their difficulties with their team of doctors. The cognitive effects of a stroke can be devastating, but speech and occupational therapy can help. A strong support network can, too, so try to be there for your loved one during this difficult time.