Explorating the Role of Caregiver Quality Of Life in the Recovery Pattern of Patients With Severe Non-Fluent Aphasia – Case Series

Background: Aphasia is a condition that leads to partial or total loss of ability to speak, understand, read or write a language. When a person was affected by chronic disorder or disability their families were often faced with the responsibility of providing care to the individual leading to a new title of caregiver. It is widely accepted that the caregivers of individual with aphasia can have a significant impact in the rehabilitation of interpersonal communication. Aim: To analyze the role of caregiver’s quality of life in the recovery of severe non –fluent aphasia patients along with speech and language stimulation. Methods and procedure: Six unpaid caregivers of patients with aphasia were women with experience of one to three months of caregiving were selected. The language assessment was done using the Western Aphasia Battery. A structured interview was carried out to assess the attitude of the participants and the material ‘Questionnaire to Evaluate the Extent of Burden on Caregivers of Person with Aphasia - Malayalam version' by Swathi B and S. P. Goswami was administered to analyze the burden level of caregiver. Speech and language intervention was provided and the therapy goals were based on the Manual of Adult Aphasia Therapy – Malayalam. Outcomes and results: The patients of caregivers who had low burden level shows better recovery compared to those with higher burden level. Conclusion: The caregivers’ positive attitude towards person with aphasia corresponds with the active facilitation of communication can make the rehabilitation more efficacious.