The Newcastle Aphasia Groups

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Bringing people to grow together

• The Newcastle Aphasia Groups

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• Jim Folwell
• Carol Hill
• Joan Fitzgerald
• Ken Baker
• Diane Walpole
• Lesley McCorquodale
• Barbara Corrigan
• Judy Mullins
• Deb Kidd

• Roy Quinn
• Bessie Beath
• Lyn Maddison
• Allyn Morris
• Shirley Lobley
• Diane Steele
• Dulcie Gray
• Sue Sherratt
• Megan Alston

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• In memory of friends who are no longer with us
• Cecil Burke
• Glenn Hamilton
• Dick James
• Beryl Bell

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Background

• Inspired by Connect, TalkBack and UQ
• Aphasia groups
• Running since 2003
• Open to anyone with aphasia who has finished
  other speech therapy

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Who are we?

• People who have had a stroke, with aphasia
• 3 months to 14 years since the stroke
• Aged 40s to 90s
• From all walks of life
• 26 members

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Where do we meet?

• We used to meet at a health centre in the centre
  of Newcastle
• THEN.

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The June 2007 storm
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Continuing Member Meetings

• Meet on Mondays
• Once a month in an RSL
• 1 ½ hours per group
• Have lunch after
• the group

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New members

• 3 blocks of 8 weeks
• 1 ½ hours long
• Mondays at a health service building
• 5-8 new people each block

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Why do we meet?

• To practise communication
• To learn from others
• To get information
• To be with other people
• To support each other

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What do we do?

• General conversation
• and news
• Conversation on particular
• topics
• Discussion about living with
• stroke and aphasia
• Special projects brochure,
• poster and news articles

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What do we get out of it?Why do we keep coming?

• Companionship
• Friendship
• Sense of connection
• Understanding
• Acceptance
• Have a good time enjoy

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• Laughter
• Information
• Sharing experiences and life
• Helps people talk
• Learn how to express ourselves in different ways

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Are the Health Managers happy?

• Yes!!
• Group members show significant improvements in
• Communicative effectiveness
• Self esteem

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The future?

• More education of the general community
• A purpose built aphasia centre
• Our own bus and driver
• A holiday retreat for people with aphasia and
  their families

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Things that we have learned

• Inspired by the members courage and resilience.
• Recovery keeps on happening in exciting and
  different ways.
• Reminds us about what really matters.
• Taught us not to judge how others may be feeling.
• There can be more laughter than tears, even after
  a stroke.

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• You never stop learning
• Important to give people the opportunity to give
  back.
• There is always a way forward.

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• A friend is someone who helps you up when youre
  down, and if they cant, they lay down beside you
  and listen.
• Anonymous