Mission

Aphasia Nova Scotia supports adults living with aphasia – as well as their families, friends and colleagues. We provide helpful resources, social opportunities and peer-to-peer encouragement.

We also increase public awareness of adult aphasia and related language disorders affecting people who have suffered a stroke or other brain injuries.

Vision

People with aphasia will be connected to their communities through the support of a network of volunteers who offer educational and social opportunities.

And the broader public will be more knowledgeable about aphasia and better understand how they can help create opportunities and promote acceptance for people with aphasia.

Identity Statement

1. Aphasia Nova Scotia is a non-profit organization that provides a safe community where people with aphasia can increase self-confidence and build independence on their journey to reconnect with society.
2. We offer helpful resources, social opportunities and encouragement for individuals with aphasia, as well as their families, friends and colleagues.
3. We increase public awareness of adult aphasia and related language disorders affecting people who have suffered a stroke or other brain injuries.
4. Aphasia is disorder that affects a person’s ability to use and comprehend language. The result of a stroke or injury to the brain, it does not affect intelligence, but can compromise speech, writing, reading, and understanding of spoken words.

Values

The values that our organization holds most dear are:

• Support of, and respect for, people with aphasia
• Encouragement and empowerment of people with aphasia as they work to regain confidence and independence
• Inspiration, motivation and the promotion of hope
• Defense of the rights and dignity of people with aphasia
• Rejection of stigma – aphasia does not affect intelligence

About Aphasia Nova Scotia

“A supportive voice when words escape.”

The Nova Scotia Aphasia Association (Aphasia Nova Scotia) was founded by Judy Arbique, a resident of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Until October of 2008, Judy was a medical laboratory technologist, supervisor of the HLA Tissue Typing Laboratory at the QEII Health Science Centre. Just two months before her 50th birthday, she suffered a stroke.

Today, Judy suffers from aphasia and apraxia, disorders of language caused by that stroke, but she believes that she was lucky. She received immediate medical care and participated in a full-time private intensive language program for almost a year, a program most Nova Scotians would never be able to access. As she relearned many of her communication skills, Judy discovered how little the general public knows about aphasia and how meager the public services and health resources are for people like herself.

Arbique founded Aphasia NS to advocate for people with aphasia in Nova Scotia, and to provide community services to help them “relearn” their communication skills.

Aphasia Nova Scotia was created by people living with aphasia for people living with aphasia. Peer-to-peer encouragement is an essential part of our work.

The Board of Aphasia Association of Nova Scotia has nine (9) Directors/Officers. Aphasia Nova Scotia does not have paid staff - we are volunteer driven.

In May 2011, Nova Scotia Aphasia Association was incorporated as a society.

In 2013, Nova Scotia Aphasia Association became a Canadian charity (#810968404RR0001).

In 2017, Nova Scotia Aphasia Association their legal name to Aphasia Association of Nova Scotia, popular name - Aphasia Nova Scotia or Aphasia NS.