National Aphasia Awareness Month: Understanding Support
Over 2.5 million people in the U.S. have aphasia and only 7% of the population even know what it is. The term "aphasia" describes an impairment of previously established communication abilities, potentially affecting speech, writing, and sign language. Typically caused by traumatic brain injury, disease, or stroke, aphasia may be temporary or permanent. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects your ability to understand, read, write or use language. It does not affect intelligence. Aphasia affects relationships, conversation and doing what you love to do.
Aphasia manifests in serveral distinct forms:
- Fluent aphasia: The individual produces grammaticallycorrect speech that lacks meaning or clarity
- Wernicke's aphasia: The person struggles to connect meaning with their spoken words
- Conduction aphasia: The individual comprehends language well but has difficulty forming sentences
- Broca's aphasia: The person has limited or no verbal speech ability but can understand language
- Global aphasia: The individual struggles with both comprehension and speech production
Communication Tips
To communicate with a patient with aphasia, individuals should use simple language, speak slowly, and remove distractions like television. Encourage and allow plenty of time for responses, and support verbal communication with gestures, drawing, yes/no questions, and choices. Avoid "talking down" to the patient or shouting, and praise all communication attempts, even if there are errors.
General communication strategies- Get their attention: Make sure the person is looking at you before you begin speaking.
- Reduce distractions: Minimize background noise from TVs, radios, or other people.
- Use simple language: Speak in short, simple sentences. Do not "talk down" to them; speak to them as an adult.
- Be patient: Allow ample time for the person to process what you've said and formulate a response. Don't interrupt.
- Praise and encourage: Acknowledge and praise their efforts to communicate and avoid constantly correcting errors.
- Use visual aids: Augment speech with gestures, drawing, or pictures.
- Ask yes/no or choice questions: Phrase questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no", or give a limited number of choices.
- Utilize other aids: Use a whiteboard and marker, flashcards with pictures or key words, or a communication app on a phone.
- Confirm understanding: Repeat back what you think they said to confirm you understood correctly.
- Shouting: Shouting does not help unless there is a co-occurring hearing problem.
- Overprotecting: Encourage them to maintain as much independence as possible.
- Excluding them: Do not exclude the person from conversations or treat them like a child.
- Time pressure: Recognize that communication will take more time and structure your care accordingly.
How can therapy help someone with aphasia?
Speech and language therapy provides structured support to help individuals with aphasia improve their communication skills. Therapists work on specific exercises to enhance speech, comprehension, and alternative communication methods, while also addressing the emotional challenges that often accompany communication difficulties.
How can family therapy support those affected by aphasia?
Family therapy sessions help both the person with aphasia and their loved ones adapt to communication changes. Therapists teach family members supportive communication techniques, stress management strategies, and ways to maintain healthy relationships despite language challenges.
A supportive and patient approach, utilizing both verbal and non-verbal methods, significantly enhances the quality of care and interaction for nurses working with individuals experiencing aphasia. For more in-depth resources and printable guides, professionals and families refer to the National Aphasia Association.
