People living with aphasia often have little opportunity to participate in social activities and everyday conversations. This can cause loneliness, depression and feeling isolated. Depression is much higher for people with aphasia than for people who have a stroke but don’t have aphasia.

Peer support and opportunities to practice conversations can benefit people with aphasia. However, this was not available in Ireland. So in 2017 UCC speech and language therapy (SLT) student Rachel Boland with Dr Helen Kelly set up Munster’s first Aphasia Café. The Aphasia Café moved online in 2020 during the pandemic: the first online conversational space for people with aphasia in Ireland.

The Aphasia Home Café provides a safe space for communication practice and peer support where PwA can develop skills and confidence for use in wider social participation.

The Aphasia Home Café happens every 2 weeks on a Friday from 11-12. If you have aphasia and want to join the café, contact helen.kelly@ucc.ie