The Communication Partner Scheme: A project to develop long‐term, low‐cost access to conversation for people living with aphasia

Abstract

Background: People with long‐standing aphasia and other stroke‐related impairments have difficulty accessing opportunities for conversation and social inclusion. This paper outlines the first 3 years of an ongoing project that has provided an innovative service for people with long‐standing aphasia who would not typically be accessing therapy or local support networks. Aims: The project aimed to set up, deliver, and evaluate a home‐based Conversation Partner Scheme to individuals with long‐term aphasia. Methods and Procedures: The paper reports on the processes involved in generating referrals, and recruiting, training, matching, and supporting the volunteer conversation partners who took part in the project. We report findings from 72 pairs of conversational partners who met for a period of 6 months. One member of each pair was a trained volunteer and the second was a partner with aphasia. Outcomes and Results: Informal evaluation of the project from the perspective of people with aphasia, referring therapists, and participating volunteers revealed a range of positive outcomes. These included changes in confidence and communication for people with aphasia, extension of long‐term service options for therapists, and development of communication and life skills for volunteers. Conclusions: This project shows how trained and supported volunteers can extend the services and opportunities for people living with ongoing aphasia. It offers an exciting means of implementing healthcare policy for people living with long‐term conditions.