Community partners have worked collaboratively to support Adults with Aphasia in the community. In Belleville, Community Care for South Hastings and Quinte & District Rehabilitation have partnered to provide the Belleville Aphasia Conversation Group (ACG); VON Greater Kingston (VON) has partnered with Kaymar Rehabilitation Inc. to provide an ACG in Kingston; Senior Support Services, Community and Primary Health Care is currently exploring a rehab partnership in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville to initiate their first ACG in Brockville.In the ACG model, Adults with Aphasia are pre-assessed by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and then participate in an assigned group on a weekly basis for 8 weeks. The Groups are facilitated by an SLP. For the VON Kingston Aphasia Buddies Program, students in the Communication Disorders Assistant and Therapeutic Recreation programs at St. Lawrence College and psychology students at Queen’s University function as aphasia buddies one-on-one with interested Adults with Aphasia in the community. A SLP with specific education in supportive conversation (SCATM) trained all Aphasia Buddies. Visits typically last one hour and occur 3 to 4 times per month in a community location. The VON Aphasia Peer Support Program provides an opportunity for Adults with Aphasia to meet with peers on a weekly basis in Kingston and Napanee. These semi-structured, peer-led groups support social and communicative interactions for Adults with Aphasia in a ‘safe’ environment.Ongoing evaluations of all these initiatives have provided consistently positive findings. For additional information on the Kingston programs, please contact Lynda Lennox, VON-Kingston Stroke Support Coordinator at 613-634-0130 x 3469 or by email at lynda.lennox@von.ca For information on the Belleville Aphasia Conversation Groups, please contact Lorraine Pyle, Community Care for South Hastings Stroke Services Coordinator at 613-969-0130 x 5207 or by email at lorrainep@ccsh.ca. For information on services in Brockville, please contact Joanne Raven, Senior Support Services, Community & Primary Health Care, Health Promoter ar 613.342.3693 || Ext: 2161 or by email at jraven@cphcare.ca . You can also visit our website under Community Supports Learn More
Fewer strokes. Better outcomes.