5 Strategies to Help Someone with Aphasia Express What They Are Thinking
Your loved one with aphasia comes up to you and tries to tell you something but no words are coming out… OR they say a bunch of words that you don’t understand. You can see the message is important to them, because they keep re-attempting to tell you what they’re thinking. They’re starting to get frustrated and are just one step away from waving their hands in a “forget it” gesture. What do you do?
In part 2 of this series, we’ll talk about how to help your loved one express themselves WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW what they’re trying to say. If you missed it, head over to Part 1 of this series to see what strategies to use when you DO know they’re trying to say.
Ready to talk strategies? Let’s dive in!
1. Give them time and encouragement
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it can make a huge difference. Instead of rushing to guess what they are saying, given the person with aphasia extra time to get their message out. Show them that you are listening. When someone feels pressured to speak quickly, it can increase their anxiety and make it harder to retrieve words. Once you create a supportive and low-stress setting for them, your loved one may be able to say what they are thinking about!
2. “Can you say it another way?”
Gently encourage your loved one to rephrase their message or describe the word they’re thinking of. Oftentimes, related words or descriptions may be easier to say than a specific word we’re thinking of. As a bonus, the related words or descriptions will give you a clue as to what you’re loved one is trying to say! For example:
“Colors… on ends of fingers”
might help you understand they’re trying to say “Nailpolish”
OR
“It opens the door”
might help you understand they’re trying to say “Key”
Other questions you might ask to help them say it another way:
- “Does it have another name?”
- What does it remind you of?
- What kind of word is it? Is it a person, place or thing?”
- What does it look like?
- Where would you normally find it?
Answers to these questions can often help you understand what your loved one is thinking of even when they can’t say a specific word.
3. “Can you write it down?”
Even if your loved one can write down the first letter of the word or a few letters within the word, it may be enough for you to correctly guess what they are thinking of.
For example: “Wtr” might help you guess your loved one wants ‘Water’, especially if it’s paired with a gesture for ‘drink’.
4. “Can you show me?”
Ask your loved one to use gestures, to point to something, or to act out what they mean.
Not only can gestures help you better understand what your loved one is trying to say (van Nispen et al., 2017), the act of gesturing may actually help your loved say the word they want to say (Kistner, Dipper, & Marshal, 2019; Lanyon & Rose, 2009).
5. “Can we take a break and come back to this?”
There may be certain situations where you try all the previous strategies and you’re still unsure what your loved one is trying to say.
It may be best to let your loved one know that you realize that this must be incredibly frustrating. Gently suggest taking a break and coming back to the topic later. Repeated trouble with communication heightens emotions and frustration… High emotions and frustration can make successful communication extremely difficult (if not impossible). Take a short break to allow you both to relax. Then, revisit this topic later for a fresh start.
Make sure that you DO indeed come back to what your loved one was trying to say – especially if they indicated that it was important!
Final Thoughts:
Now you know 5 strategies you can use to better understand what your loved one is trying to say when they get “stuck”. Every successful exchange, no matter how small, can build your loved one’s confidence and improve your shared communication over time.
By using these strategies, you’re showing your loved one that you CARE and that you DO want to know what they are thinking and feeling. That can mean the WORLD.
Practice early, practice often, and have a great week!
Q: Should you start communication practice for aphasia at home even if you don’t have consistent access to therapy?
A: YES!Are there are things you can start doing now? YES!!
Download our FREE resource to get started:
5 Easy-to-Lead Exercises for Aphasia
References:
Kistner, J., Dipper, L. T., & Marshall, J. (2019). The use and function of gestures in word-finding difficulties in aphasia. Aphasiology, 33(11), 1372–1392. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2018.1541343
Lanyon, L., & Rose, M. L. (2009). Do the hands have it? The facilitation effects of arm and hand gesture on word retrieval in aphasia. Aphasiology, 23(7–8), 809–822. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687030802642044
van Nispen, K., van de Sandt-Koenderman, M., Sekine, K., Krahmer, E., & Rose, M. L. (2017). Part of the message comes in gesture: How people with aphasia convey information in different gesture types as compared with information in their speech. Aphasiology, 31(9), 1078–1103. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2017.1301368
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