Aphasia Centers and the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia A Paradigm Shift

The Aphasia Center is a service delivery model that provides an interactive community for persons with aphasia. This model has been increasing in popularity over the last 20 years. Aphasia Centers are consistent with a social model of health care and disability. They offer the potential for linguistic, communicative, and psychosocial benefits. The purpose of this article is to describe the historical context that served as the catalyst for Aphasia Centers as well as to offer a firsthand account of their development. Included is a summary of the research evidence, as well as other factors that support the science underlying aphasia group treatment, Aphasia Centers, and the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia. Finally, examples are provided that show how this service delivery model is being incorporated into clinical guidelines, clinical pathways, and clinical best practices.