Who Are We?
Our group is composed of members with aphasia and their families. Individuals with aphasia and their children, spouses, parents, and friends are welcome. Group includes members who acquired aphasia due to strokes, brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, and other causes. All levels of communication are welcome - it does not matter how easy or how hard it is for you to communicate. Some of us use assistive devices or communication books; some of us use a combination of gesture, speech, and writing to communicate.
The group has a facilitator, Deborah Insalaco, PhD, CCC-SLP, telephone (716)-878-5319. Dr. Insalaco is an associate professor at SUNY Buffalo State. Graduate students assist the group. Sometimes we have undergraduate students who observe.
Where Are We?
The Buffalo State Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic is located in Caudell Hall on Iroquois Dr. off Elmwood Ave. Parking lot I-34 has spots reserved for clients and for persons with handicapping conditions. Parking for clients of the clinic is available in Lot I-34. Click here to view a parking map.
When Do We Meet?
We meet on Fridays from 2-3 PM and follow the Buffalo State Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic calendar. In case of bad weather we have a telephone tree on the attendance list that starts with Deborah Insalaco.
Click here for the 2024 Aphasia Support Group calendar.
What Do We Do?
We spend about 20 minutes to a half hour as a group and then the family members visit with each other while the people with aphasia work more specifically on their communication. In general:
We socialize informally:
we have coffee, tea, a snack and chat during the early part of every session
we go out for a brunch, late lunch, or dinner every semester
We practice social language, for instance:
introductions
asking questions of other group members
talking about ourselves and our accomplishments
talking about our week, movies, and current events
playing games
We practice different communication methods:
speaking
pointing by using communication books or assistive devices
drawing
gesturing
spelling
writing sentences
We learn about stroke and stroke treatments.
Our goals are to have fun, find support, and become more effective communicators.
Mission Statement: To promote communication, education, support, hope, and a loving life for aphasia survivors and caregivers.
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