2096V - Simple Strategies for Trauma-Informed Care in Aphasia

The uncontrollable, unexpected, and potentially life-threatening nature of a stroke event is traumatic (Field et al., 2008; Merriman et al., 2007). Research indicates that one in four stoke survivors experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the first year after a stroke (Edmondson et al., 2013). The trauma associated with aphasia results in mood difficulties and depression that impact rehabilitation outcomes (Baker et al., 2020). Speech language pathologists (SLP) are in an ideal position to lead efforts in providing trauma-informed care for PWA in all stages of recovery (Sandberg et al., 2021; Moss et al., 2021; Baker et al. 2020). The purpose of this presentation is to provide SLPs with trauma-informed strategies to enhance rehabilitation outcomes for PWAs.