Health Sciences outreach program helps amplify the voices of people with aphasia

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 11, 2026) — For many people living with aphasia, a trip to a coffee shop, restaurant or retail store can come with an added layer of anxiety. 

Aphasia, often caused by stroke or brain injury, affects a person’s ability to communicate through speaking, understanding, reading or writing. It does not affect intelligence, but communication challenges can make everyday interactions more difficult. 

In the UK Aphasia Lab at the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences (CHS), students and community members are working together to help people with aphasia feel more confident re-engaging in a communicating society. 

The Aphasia Lab’s community outreach program helps people with aphasia feel more confident returning to places they enjoy while educating local businesses and organizations about communication accessibility. The initiative has reached more than 25 community locations across Central Kentucky, from coffee shops and restaurants to first responders, churches and public transportation services.  

The idea for the program began with a simple, but powerful, conversation. 

Christen Page, Ph.D., associate professor in the CHS Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, leader of the Aphasia Lab, remembers meeting with a client who was frustrated after a negative interaction while shopping.  

The woman, who has aphasia and apraxia of speech following a stroke, struggled to verbally provide her ZIP code during a credit card transaction. The cashier, unfamiliar with aphasia, became impatient. 

“I realized this cashier had not been trained,” Page said. “They do not know about aphasia and apraxia of speech or the best techniques to assist someone who is finding communication challenging. So how can I expect her to act any differently? And then I thought, ‘I’m going to work on educating the community.’”  

That moment sparked an academic-based service-learning project that pairs first-year graduate students with people living with aphasia. Together, they identify places in the community where communication barriers exist and create customized educational training for employees and staff.  

The model is built around a simple philosophy: people with aphasia are the experts in their own experiences. 

“Each of these projects involves a person with aphasia,” Page said. “They’re the experts related to their aphasia.”  

Students meet with their partners multiple times, learning about their lives, communication needs and goals before helping develop training materials tailored to specific settings. The trainings cover what aphasia is, common communication challenges and practical strategies employees can use to support conversations.  

At Starbucks locations, for example, students and community members collaborated to create aphasia-friendly menus featuring pictures, larger print and additional white space to make ordering easier. The menus allow customers to point to items or use visual supports if speaking is difficult. Starbucks remains one of the outreach program’s most frequent partners because it is a favorite destination for many Aphasia Lab participants.  

“For many people, Starbucks is much more than a coffee shop. It’s a place to meet friends, part of their routine and part of the community,” said Olivia Stevens, a communication sciences and disorders graduate student. “For my client, ordering at Starbucks represented participation in everyday life. Communication barriers shouldn’t prevent someone from enjoying those experiences. Supportive strategies can help those interactions become much more accessible.” 

The Starbucks employees were incredibly welcoming and engaged throughout the training, Page said. The teams were open to implementing simple communication strategies, and they recognized that many of these techniques could benefit a wide variety of customers.  

“Simple changes can have a big impact,” Stevens said. “Visual menus, written choices, allowing extra time to respond and using supportive communication techniques can reduce communication barriers and make someone feel understood rather than rushed. These strategies not only improve communication but also help individuals maintain a sense of belonging.” 

Another student partnership focused on Keeneland Racecourse, where a participant wanted to continue enjoying race days despite communication challenges. 

Working together, the team developed visual tools that simplified the betting process through photos and key words. They then trained Keeneland staff on strategies to support guests with aphasia.