How to Care for a Loved One with Aphasia

Approximately one million people in the United States suffer from Aphasia. Aphasia is the loss of ability to communicate resulting from brain damage due to stroke, brain tumor, infection or traumatic injury. Usually, aphasia comes on suddenly following a stroke, but in some cases it may develop slowly. When a loved one has trouble expressing herself due to aphasia, you can help her communicate with visuals and gestures, and by giving her the time she needs to understand and respond.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Drawing pad and markers

Care for a Loved One with Aphasia

1. When you communicate with your loved one, be sure you have his attention. You may need to turn off the television or radio to reduce the amount of noise in the room.
2. Encourage the patient to speak as often as possible, and realize you'll need to give her plenty of time to communicate. Ideally, you should give her a few moments to respond before repeating your question.
3. Use short, clear sentences or questions, and speak in your normal tone of voice and at the usual volume. This will help retain a sense of normalcy for your loved one, and will help her avoid feeling patronized.
4. Ask other family members and friends to speak directly to her, and not to address you or refer to "her" while your loved one is present.
5. Respond to communication attempts with a nod, smile or a simple, "I understand." Avoid correcting her speech.
6. Draw a picture, gesture or point to what you mean when you have trouble getting something across or understanding your loved one.
7. Engage your loved one in family events and decision making. Asking for her opinions on things and talking with her about items in the news, family issues or the book you are reading may help her regain a sense of control, and may lessen your feelings of isolation.
8. Investigate support groups where caregivers share hints on care for and communication with people affected by aphasia. The National Aphasia Association website has a database of community support groups, listed by state (see Resources below).
9. Look into professional speech-language therapy. You can find a qualified professional near you via the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) website (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that aphasia disrupts your loved one's ability to communicate, but not her ability to reason, make decisions or take part in family life. Providing care for someone with aphasia requires creativity and patience, but you don't have to think for your loved one.
• Do your best not to express frustration even when communication seems difficult or time consuming.
• Speech-language therapy is best begun soon after the onset of aphasia.

Who Can Help: