This year again, Bolder Agency joined the efforts to raise awareness about aphasia, a complex language disorder mostly caused by stroke. We promoted the activities of the SUVAG Polyclinic Zagreb and the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, who organized Open Days for people with aphasia throughout June.
Each year in Croatia, approximately 12,000 to 13,000 people suffer a stroke, and around 80,000 live with its consequences. At least one-third of them experience speech and language difficulties typical of aphasia and require speech-language therapy.
Aphasia manifests as difficulties in speaking, understanding, reading, writing, and calculating. Symptoms depend on the severity of the stroke and which parts of the brain responsible for language abilities are affected. Besides stroke, aphasia can also result from brain tumors, head trauma, infections, and dementia.
Unfortunately, many individuals do not begin therapy on time due to a lack of information and limited availability of speech-language pathologists for adults. However, the situation is improving thanks to a new network of public health services that includes speech therapy services in primary healthcare centers.
Aphasia has a significant impact on daily life, leading to isolation, stigmatization, and the inability to return to work. Therefore, understanding, support, and adapted communication are key to improving quality of life and supporting the successful recovery of people with aphasia.
