Ontario Aphasia Advocacy Group

Spotlight on Aphasia

We asked our group members, what is aphasia to you?

Here's what they said. 

​"Life-changing" - Tracy

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"Aphasia means I know what I want to say but the words do not always come out. I also live with apraxia, which makes speaking even harder. After stroke, communication became one of my biggest challenges. but I keep working every day to find my voice." - Allan

"Loss of language, not intelligence. That's what aphasia is to me, in a nutshell. That's what I tell people everywhere. Most people get it that I have a speech impediment. But most people don't get that I have the intelligence. And then when I tell them that I have intelligence they go "that must be hard"! And ya, it is hard-- because you can't speak freely what you're saying but you think it. I think it all the time but I can't say it."  - Sandra

"After my stroke, I do not talk. Just there. Trying. Good days and bad days. Now it's better. I know what to say. Speech...I not say it. It's hard. I know what to say. Slow slow. Not fast." - Jemima

"Ironic, you can't explain about your aphasia because of the communication". - Cindy

"Ask one question at a time" - Nancy

"We have all the words in our head. We're ready to say it all and it doesn't come out. And I'm frustrated with that...but I found people won't listen. People don't want to...you say wait for a while but they don't want to listen, they get frustrated. But we just keep on truckin'." - Kathy

"I find it difficult to concentrate on things for a long time. I used to be able to read all the time but now I get tired after reading for a while. I also do crosswords. It's hard to stay at it but I keep trying because that helps me recall words." - Jim​​