Communicating with someone who has aphasia

Communicating with someone who has aphasia

People with aphasia have their communication skills affected: making themselves understood, understanding, expressing themselves, speaking, writing and/or listening.

Depending on the degree of severity, aphasia can also affect social skills. For example, the person with aphasia may feel that they are discriminated against in a shop, on the telephone or at a family gathering.

Aphasia has an impact on communication with the person you are caring for. As a caregiver, communication is a key factor in maintaining the best possible relationship.

Artistic and physical activities

Theatre, singing, dance, in a group or on your own—there are lots of activities to choose from! Here are just a few examples:

• Gentle physical activities with the Association des personnes aphasiques du Richelieu-Yamaska;
• Parlure workshop with Artère;
• Brain gym, sugar shack or bowling with Aphasie Rive-Sud;
• Dyad music therapy for you and the person you are caring for, with the AQPA;
• Aphasic Theatre;
• Resource directory.

In turn, artistic activities encourage communication between you and the person you are caring for and give you the opportunity to get in touch with resources and services.

Ten tips for communicating with someone who has aphasia

These tips for caregivers are based on those presented in the SAPPA project videos and in the guide Vous connaissez une personne aphasique?

1. Be part of the dialogue. It can be tempting to speak for the person with aphasia. But dialogue is essential;
2. Take your place in the conversation. Stay as you are, with your personality and your way of speaking;
3. Focus on subjects that interest both you and the person with aphasia. For example, with current affairs, a real dialogue can be established. It’s motivating for everyone;
4. Encourage the person you are caring for to take part in physical and artistic activities according to their interests and abilities;
5. Is the person you are caring for struggling to find the right word? Resist the temptation to find the word for them, and don’t hesitate to ask their speech therapist for advice on communication strategies;
6. Communicate through gestures! Don’t be afraid to use facial expressions, smiles and non-verbal communication;
7. Be honest when answering questions about the difficulties faced by the person you are caring for. Try not to play down the issues, either yours or theirs;
8. Give yourself time to adapt to the situation. You need to recharge your batteries and identify your limits;
9. Set aside time and activities just for yourself;
10. Find help and support resources. There is a tendency to ask caregivers to maintain a positive attitude towards the person with aphasia. This can trigger emotions such as guilt and stress. Ask for help if you feel you need it and, if you want to talk about it, contact the Caregiver Support Helpline.

Take stock of both your needs and those of the person you are caring for

When a communication disorder is suspected, the patient is referred to speech therapy for an assessment of oral comprehension, oral expression, written comprehension, written expression, gestural and pragmatic communication and conversation.

Depending on the assessment, the person may need to undergo language rehabilitation:

• The service plan is established in collaboration with you, your family and friends, and the multidisciplinary team at the rehabilitation centre or hospital. It outlines the needs of the patient and those close to them;
• The needs of the person with aphasia and your own needs in terms of information, psychosocial support, babysitting, respite, occasional help and support with daily tasks are assessed and identified;
• In addition to follow-up, it is recommended that you contact the appropriate support organizations for people with aphasia;
• In this continuum, alongside the speech therapist, caregivers have a key role to play in developing ways of communicating with the patient.