What can I do to help a loved one who has aphasia?

What can I do to help a loved one who has aphasia?

There are several tips for people who have a loved one with aphasia. Some of these tips can help make your loved one's life easier and help them connect and communicate. Others can encourage their recovery or improve how they adapt to their condition. Some things you can do include:

• Be patient and understanding. If a loved one has aphasia, empower them by giving them time to communicate. Help them feel safe and encouraged. Let them make mistakes without correcting them, and give them time to finish speaking without interrupting or finishing their sentences. Help them if they ask for it but at first, let them try on their own.
• Find ways to connect. Aphasia disrupts the ability to communicate, which often leads to feelings of severe isolation and loneliness. You can make a huge difference if you communicate with your loved one in ways that are easier and more comfortable for them.
• Make it easier for them to communicate. Get their attention before you start talking, maintain eye contact and give them your full attention, and reduce background noise (like turning down the TV) if possible. Offer them alternate ways to communicate like writing, drawing, hand gestures or with smart devices if they prefer, and if doing so helps them.
• Treat them with respect and dignity. People with aphasia can feel embarrassed or ashamed of their struggles with communicating. Treating them with respect and dignity can help with that. If they struggle to understand, you can talk to them using easier-to-understand words or sentences or by using yes/no questions (if that's what they prefer). You should avoid talking down to them or speaking so slowly that it’s insulting or hurtful. You should also avoid talking louder unless they ask you to do that.