Adjustment With Aphasia After Stroke: SUPERB

The experimental group will receive usual care + peer befriending. Peer befriending aims to utilise the skills and 'lived experience' of people with longer-term aphasia to offer support to others with aphasia, starting at a time of transition (discharge from hospital and withdrawal of intensive therapeutic input) and increased need. It aims to help people develop their own strategies for adjusting to life post-stroke. Peer-befrienders will visit participants 6 times over a period of 3 months (+2 times within the next 6 months). The schedule, nature of visits, and goals (e.g. discuss concerns; pursue activities) will be agreed between the pair. Visits may include: conversation, problem solving, trips out, joint activities.

The control group will receive usual care, i.e. all health, social care and voluntary services available to them in their borough. It is not known what exactly usual care comprises for people with aphasia who are discharged in the community with low levels of psychological problems, and this project will help to document this.