Best Practice Statements
These statements have been updated by the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation (Aphasia CRE) in 2024 in accordance with the most up to date research and expert opinion. (Statements originally developed by the NHMRC CCRE in Aphasia Rehabilitation in 2014)
Click on the statement for NHMRC level of evidence ratings, supporting rationales, resources and further information.
7.13 Healthcare providers should consider the cultural and linguistic background of the person with aphasia, their family, and their community.
7.14 Where the speech pathologist is not proficient in a language of the person with aphasia, a trained qualified interpreter, knowledgable with the specific requirements for speech pathology, should be used.
7.15 Where a patient reports having used more than one language premorbidly, comprehensive information about the patient’s language history should be obtained.
7.16 Where possible, assessments should be used that are appropriate to the languages/dialects and cultural backgrounds of each client.
7.17 Where possible, treatment should be offered in all relevant languages and relevant modalities.
7.18 Language behaviours unique to the bi/multilingual person with aphasia such as translation, language mixing and code-switching should be considered in both assessment and intervention planning.
7.19 Speech pathologists should explain terminology in a way that is relevant and culturally appropriate
