Experiences of people with severe aphasia and spouses attending an Interdisciplinary Community Aphasia Group

Michelle C. Attard, Yasmine Loupis, Leanne Togher, Miranda L. Rose
2019 Figshare  
Community aphasia groups are recognized as an area of need and value for people with chronic aphasia and their significant others. However, our understanding of attendees' experiences is limited by the small amount of qualitative research available. The present study aimed to describe participant experiences of an Interdisciplinary Community Aphasia Group, as part of a better understanding of its underlying processes and value. Methods: Four people with chronic, severe aphasia and their spouses
more » ... attended an Interdisciplinary Community Aphasia Group held at a university speech clinic for 2 h once weekly over 12 weeks. The group was co-facilitated by a speech-language pathologist and a social worker, with the support of two aides (one a person with aphasia, and the other a member of the general community). The group addressed the following areas: communication therapy, conversation, participation in meaningful and accessible activities, psychological and social support, and aphasia information and education. Following the program, the people with aphasia (via multimodal communication) and spouses participated in separate semi-structured interviews with an independent interviewer. The interviews addressed members' perceptions of the program (both in relation to themselves and their spouse) along with recommendations for improvement. The interviews were analyzed using Framework Analysis. Results: Members shared preferences for program activities and group format, with some experiences leading to suggestions for improvement. The group dynamics and environment were considered positive overall, and members highlighted a range of positive impacts for both themselves and their spouse. Together, these elements informed members' evaluation that the model contained something for everyone, but may not be a "one-stop shop" given ongoing needs for therapy. An overarching theme for spouses addresses therapy and recovery in relation to the impact of peers, views and beliefs, and adjustment. Conc [...]
doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.7599833.v1 fatcat:dgr6pdzgu5fppfrlk6vrzkxizu