This section aims to provide helpful resources for family, friends, caregivers and community members.
- General suggestions
- Give yourself grace
- Ask for help from family/friends
- Find a support system through a current community organization or Aphasia support groups
- Remember, it takes time
- How do I communicate with my partner, child, friend, family member?
- Use multiple forms of communication (writing, drawing, gestures, pictures).
- Often individuals with aphasia require more time to process verbal information. The following strategies will facilitate understanding during a conversation.
- Be patient – wait 5-10 seconds after you ask a question or give instructions before expecting a response.
- Write important words that you say. Keep a notepad and pencil with you.
- Speak at a slower but natural rate.
- Repeat information
- Pause with long messages - What would you like (PAUSE) for dinner?
- Keep information simple and direct – dinner?
- Don’t finish their sentences or thoughts. Give them time to communicate.
- How do I understand my partner, child, friend, family member?
- Say “I know you know.”
- Encourage use of multiple forms of communication (writing, drawing, gestures, pictures).
- Be patient – wait 5-10 seconds after you ask a question or give instructions before expecting a response.
- Difficulty finding words (it’s on the tip of my tongue)
- Summarize what they have said so far. This may elicit the word.
- Ask them to describe the word (what they use it for, where it is located, what else it relates to)
- If they talk using a lot of unfamiliar words, ask them to say/write/show you the main topic.
Additional Resources
- Aphasia: Better Communication Tips
- Communication Tips Service
- Aphasia Simulation: provides language tasks similar to those experienced by individuals with aphasia.
- Aphasia.org: great resources for communicating with health care providers.