Creating community for people with aphasia

18 Jul 2026 Stroke support

Shruthi Guru's husband Gururaj had a stroke in October 2017. Gururaj has Broca's aphasia and Shruthi started the Communication Practice Sessions with Stroke Support India because of her personal experience of the gap in support when her husband had his stroke.

For people living with aphasia after a stroke, expressing thoughts, participating in conversations and reconnecting with society can become daily challenges. While speech and language therapy plays a crucial role in recovery, opportunities to communicate in supportive, real-life environments are also important.

The Communication Practice Sessions for people with aphasia, an initiative that is among the first of its kind in India, are conducted online. The sessions bring together participants from different parts of India. These sessions provide a safe, welcoming and encouraging space where individuals with aphasia can practice communication, rebuild confidence and experience the joy of meaningful social interaction.

Group sessions emphasize communication for participation in everyday life and are inspired by principles of Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA). Participants are encouraged to communicate using speech, writing, drawing, gestures, facial expressions—whatever helps them express themselves. The focus is not on perfect language but on successful communication.

Each session is carefully planned to include engaging and enjoyable activities such as picture description, storytelling, word games, quizzes, current affairs, sports, festivals, birthdays, music-based activities, and tasks to promote critical thinking and problem-solving. These activities are designed to stimulate language, cognition, memory and social interaction in a relaxed atmosphere.

One of the program's greatest strengths is the sense of community it fosters. Aphasia often leads to social isolation, frustration and reduced confidence. By connecting with others who share similar experiences, participants encourage one another, celebrate small achievements and realize they are not alone in their journey.

Caregivers play an important role. They observe effective communication strategies, gain practical ideas that can be used at home and witness the progress their loved ones make through regular participation. The sessions reinforce the message that recovery continues long after formal rehabilitation and that everyday communication opportunities are essential for improving quality of life.

Feedback from participants and caregivers has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants who were initially hesitant now actively contribute to discussions, initiate conversations and look forward to every session. Families report improvements in confidence, motivation and willingness to communicate in everyday situations. Most importantly, participants have developed friendships that extend beyond the sessions themselves.

Stroke Support India has mission of raising stroke awareness and supporting people affected by stroke and their families.

For more information visit: https://strokesupport.in/aphasia-communication/

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