Aphasia in Scotland Scoping Report
This is a research project carried out by the Centre for
Integrated Healthcare Research
About Aphasia
Aphasia is a condition which affects the speech, language and
communication skills of people after they have experienced brain
damage.
One of the most common sources of such damage in adults is
stroke.
About one quarter of people who have strokes also have
aphasia.
For many of these people, aphasia can have a serious,
pervasive and long lasting impact on the individual, on their
families and on those in their immediate environment.
Although the development of services for those with stroke has
been a health priority in Scotland over recent years, relatively
little is known about the needs of people with aphasia.
Helen - wife of a person with
aphasia
It's just changed our lives you know -
I do everything and that upsets Duncan because he can't people
don't give him a chance to speak and there was one man and he was
so rude to him, shouting at him. Duncan was sat in Marks &
Spencer, and he was sat near the door and this man didn't close the
door and it was very cold and he tried to tell him 'the door, the
door' and the man just stood there and shouted at him, and then I
went in Duncan said 'That man' shout shout shout shout!'
So I went up to him and I said 'Did
you shout at my husband?'
'Yes' he said, 'he didn't say
please or thank you to me so I wasn't shutting the door.' and I
stood and I explained to him and he was still shouting at me.
And I said - 'you don't
understand do you, my husband can't speak'
And his wife came up and apologised,
and I said 'He's so rude' I said, 'I am trying to explain to him
about the stroke and he didn't want to know'. And I think that's
what you find' [Duncan nods in agreement]
Findings
There are four main findings from this study. They are presented
in this report as specific to people with aphasia. In practice, of
course, many of the areas reported below are equally relevant for
people with other chronic conditions and for other people with
communication support needs. These findings have been discussed in
outline with our Experienced Service Users Group.
Further information
Access our response to this Aphasia in
Scotland report
Published Date: 07 November 2007
