Aphasia

Aphasia

Aphasia refers to an impairment of the ability to use or understand language. It is caused by brain injury or a stroke.

Associations/Groups:

Massachusetts Support Groups & Resources

Aphasia Community Group Boston University Aphasia Community Group

Each month, group members and guests make presentations on treatment, recreation and/or family support. In the last portion of the meeting, participants divide into small “breakout” sessions to share ideas, feelings, and concerns.
BU Sargent College
Room 102
635 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston MA 02215
Email: aphasiacenter@bu.edu
Phone: 617-353-0197

Western Massachusetts Aphasia and Stroke Support Groups 

Meetings are held monthly over Zoom on the first Saturday of every month.
Amherst, Holyoke, Northampton, Springfield, Pittsfield

Cape Cod Aphasia Community Group at Spaulding Rehab 

Opportunities for individuals with Aphasia, their families and members of the healthcare community to support one another.
Spaulding Outpatient Center Sandwich
311 Service Road
Sandwich, MA 02537
Contact: Jan Sullivan
Phone: 508-833–4268

Boston University Aphasia Research Center 

For our clients and their families, we’re an acclaimed clinical treatment, learning and support center. For our students, an excellent training environment. And increasingly, for the benefit of people with aphasia worldwide, we’re an ambitious clinical research center.

635 Commonwealth Ave, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-353-0197
Email: lesliec@bu.edu

Aphasia Center at MGH Center for Health Professionals

Assists adults who have partial or total inability to produce or understand speech as a result of brain damage caused by injury or disease such as people who have had a stroke.
Charlestown Navy Yard
Catherine Filene Shouse Building
36 First Avenue
Boston, MA 02129-4557
Phone: 617-726-2947
Email: aphasiacenter@mghihp.edu

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Offers aphasia information and resources related to speech. 
Find a Professional: http://www.asha.org/proserv/

American Stroke Association (ASA)  

Information on types of strokes, effects of strokes, risk, prevention and treatment.
Phone: 888-478-7653

Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) 

BIA-MA provides Support & Resources to brain injury survivors and their families.
30 Lyman Street Suite 10
Westboro, MA 01581
Phone: 800-242-0030 (Brain Injury Info Line)
TTY: 508-948-0593
Email: biama@biama.org

Other Information:

National Aphasia Association (NAA)
Find Support Groups in Massachusetts

Find Affiliates 
Email: naa@aphasia.org

American Stroke Association
9707 East Easter Lane, Suite B
Centennial, CO 80112
Phone: 800-787-6537

Stroke Family Warmline: 888-478-7653
Email: info@stroke.org

Dysarthria is not the same as aphasia, though it often occurs with aphasia. The muscles of the mouth, face, neck and throat become weakened or paralyzed and may interfere with speech. Difficulty in swallowing is known as Dysphagia.

Fact Sheet last updated on: 2/13/2023


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