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Emma was 33 years old when she had her stroke in 2016. She couldn’t understand why she couldn’t get her words out. She thought she was going crazy. It was nearly a year later when her speech pathologist told her she had aphasia.

Emma said: “What’s aphasia?” and looked it up. It was a relief for Emma to know she had aphasia. She rang her mum, Kim, and said, “I’ve got aphasia” and her mum said, “What’s aphasia?”. Without knowing Emma had aphasia, Emma and Kim had been unable to find out more about her condition and what they could do about it. This was a very frustrating time for them.

Emma and Kim are not alone in having this experience.

Why aphasia awareness is important

People living with aphasia face multiple barriers to communication every day. This can affect their:

  • relationships
  • work,
  • education,
  • access to services e.g., banking
  • healthcare,
  • hobbies, and
  • other social activities.

This in turn can affect their finances, mood, quality of life and can lead to social isolation.

There are many ways we can reduce communication barriers. However, most people don’t know how to do this. Knowing how to support communication for people with aphasia can make all the difference.

Poor awareness and understanding of aphasia can result in problems such as:

  • A lack of support for people living with aphasia.
  • A lack of services for people living with aphasia.
  • A lack of funding for aphasia research and services to improve the lives of people with aphasia.
  • A lack of knowledge about how to support communication with a person with aphasia.
  • Negative reactions when people with aphasia try to communicate
  • People excluding people with aphasia from conversations and decisions

People with aphasia want others to know they are still intelligent.

The AAA is here to help raise awareness of aphasia.

We are the national voice for people with aphasia. People with aphasia may need support to advocate for themselves. Raising awareness and advocating for the aphasia community is central to all we do. However, we cannot do it alone!

The AAA needs your help to raise awareness of aphasia! It is important that people living with aphasia help to raise awareness in their own communities. Tell your family, friends, and communities about aphasia.

 

How people with aphasia can help raise awareness of aphasia:

  • Share your story and experiences – tell or show people how aphasia affects you and your family and friends, and what has helped you. This is a very powerful way to raise awareness.
  • Show your AAA wallet card when you are out in the community.

  • Share information (leaflets, videos, social media posts, posters) about aphasia and how to help people living with aphasia in your communities.
  • Contact your local government representative.
  • Take part in Aphasia Awareness Month (June), Wednesday withOUR Words during Stroke Week (September) and other days / weeks / months which can provide a useful platform for raising awareness.
  • Run an event to help raise awareness.
  • Use social media:

How health professionals can help raise awareness of aphasia:

  • Help people with aphasia to share their stories and experiences.
  • Run training sessions for families, healthcare professionals and community organisations about:
    • Aphasia and its impact on people living with aphasia
    • How to support communication with people with aphasia
    • Creating communicatively accessible environments.

 

This page will be updated with more information and resources soon.

 

Content contributed by Claire Bennington. Personal story provided by Emma Beesley. 

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