The Impact of Aphasia Camp on Partners of Persons with Aphasia
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to study the experiences of close partners of persons with aphasia at the
Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp. Aphasia camps are an alternative service delivery model that addresses
the needs of individuals impacted by the effects of chronic aphasia. Camps are designed to address
common challenges of living with chronic aphasia. Research has found that both individuals with aphasia
and their partners are at risk for social isolation. Therefore, partners also experience loss of their personal
identity and a need for peer support. The effects of an aphasia camp experience on partners has only been
examined in one prior study, which took place at the Aphasia Camp Northwest in Oregon. The present
study investigated partner outcomes at the Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp through a pre‐ and post‐
online Qualtrics survey. Questions examined demographic information and nature of interactions outside
Posters Presentations: Social Sciences 105
of camp. Quantitative data includes tallies of the types of social interaction experiences that they engaged
in before and after camp. Qualitative analyses of written responses yielded 10 pre-camp themes and 12
post-camp themes. In general, partners identified the value of camp, for themselves and their loved one
with aphasia.
Subject
Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp
Aphasia
Interpersonal relations
Posters
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/79181Description
Color poster with text, charts, photographs, and graphs.