Aphasia Support Group

You may already know many of these... but a review couldnt hurt :)

to help make it easier for someone with aphasia to understand you:

catch them at their best if possible. being tired, upset, or anxious doesnt make anything easier.

be supportive and patient. you can show this with your face, your body, and your gestures.

reduce distractions (tv, radio, other people speaking, ambient noise, etc.) so the only auditory input they have to focus on is your voice.

make sure they are focused on you. eye contact can be just as important as someone being able to hear you.

give them small pieces to process. you dont have to talk extremely slow. just talk calmly and give a brief sentence at a time rather than at a conversational rate.

supplement your speech with gestures, context, writing, drawing, pointing when possible & appropriate to help clarify your message.

ask intermittently if they understand (in a supportive manner) and encourage them to let you know when they dont understand.

to help someone with aphasia express themselves:

be patient and supportive... give them extra time to express themselves

give them tangible choices they can physically choose when possible/appropriate

ask them questions they can answer with yes/no when possible/appropriate

let them do their best to express themselves in whatever way they can (encourage them to use gestures, drawing, writing, pointing, as well as speech). if their speech doesnt come out perfectly, dont correct them... try to get the gist of what they are saying by the words that do make sense.

be honest and let them know if youre not sure what theyre trying to say (in a supportive manner)

and finally... seek out the assistance of a speech therapist that knows the person with aphasia and can tell you how to make the most of their communication strengths.

hope this helps!
Posted on 03/16/08, 11:03 pm