June is Aphasia Awareness Month

June is Aphasia Awareness Month.

Around 1 in 3 stroke survivors have aphasia but many people don’t know what it is.

With help from people living with aphasia, we’re raising awareness of this life-changing condition to make Scotland more #AphasiaAware

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a language and speech disorder. It happens when the language centres of the brain are damaged. 

The damage can be from a stroke or other head injury. 

People with aphasia can have difficulty with some, or all, forms of communication: 

• Reading 
• Listening 
• Speaking 
• Writing/ Texting  

Aphasia can affect using and understanding numbers. 

Aphasia doesn’t affect intelligence. 

People with aphasia may also have problems with thinking, memory and planning.

Aphasia is different for everyone. 

Supporting the conversation – advice from people with aphasia

People with aphasia told us that communication was one of their biggest concerns. 

69% of people we surveyed told us that aphasia affected their ability to communicate. 

Community and connection are central to our wellbeing. 

Aphasia can make it difficult to stay connected and can make people feel lonely. 

Members of our aphasia support groups have shared their advice for when you’re communicating with someone with aphasia. 

Small changes in how you speak can make a big difference. 

• Ask people with aphasia about their condition. Find out what their main challenges are and how you can help make communication with them and for them easier.
• If you are in a group with a person or people with aphasia, always speak one at a time.
• Allow extra time for the person to respond. Give space and don’t rush. The person may need longer to process or express words.
• Reduce your rate of speech. A slower pace can help to improve understanding.
• Repeat and rephrase. If something isn’t understood, try again using simpler words or different phrasing.
• Actively listen. Listen fully and show you’re listening. Using head nods, keeping eye contact and being patient can ensure that the conversation is two-way.
• Writing things down can be useful for some people, especially important details such as dates, times and arrangements.
• Hand gestures and obvious facial expressions can help some people with aphasia. Don’t be afraid to use these tools.
• Don’t be afraid or embarrassed by any silences or when communication is tricky. The priority for the person with aphasia is the interaction itself.
• Be creative – use emojis, drawings or resources like maps to help with communication.
• Avoid background noise to help the person concentrate on the conversation

Learn more about Aphasia and Communication Difficulties.

If you’re living with the effects of a chest, heart or stroke condition or Long Covid and are looking for advice and information, please contact Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. You can also text ADVICE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.