Impact of Social Support on Persons with Aphasia

Abstract

Background: Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder or impairment that is caused by either a stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a neurological disorder. A person’s lifestyle and language changes following the onset of aphasia. This can affect their social, physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Persons with aphasia need all the support to recover and continue with their everyday activities. Current research is extending our understanding of social support and the influence it has on persons with aphasia. Aim: The study aims to explore the nature, effectiveness and the impact of social support on persons with aphasia. Method: Purposive sampling was used in selecting 20 persons with aphasia and their caregivers from the stroke unit and speech and language therapy unit at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital. The instrument used was a semi-structures interview guide for both participants. An audiotape was used to collect the data and was transcribed verbatim and then analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Outcome: The study has shown that social support from caregivers (family member and friends) helps to improve communication for persons with aphasia at home after hospitalization. Conclusion: This study showed that social support from caregivers of persons with aphasia contributed significantly to improvement in communication. Family social support play a central role in shaping an individual’s well-being across the life course (Thomas et al., 2017). Keywords: Aphasia, Persons with aphasia (PWA), social support and Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH)