BC Aphasia Peer Connect (BCAPC) now has 15 weekly online groups serving about 75 people with aphasia (PWA) across BC, but demand continues to grow and there is a significant gap between the number of PWA and those currently accessing services. High turnover among healthcare staff and limited public understanding of BCAPC hinder referrals, especially in rural/remote areas. Anecdotal reports suggest new referrals sometimes fall through the cracks and do not attend their initial group meeting. There is a pressing need to explore how to optimize access and onboarding to BCAPC from the perspective of key stakeholders so that PWA and their families can more easily access it and are better prepared and feel more confident to participate after referral.
EVENT DURATION AND FORMAT: One-day 6.5-hour in-person communicatively accessible meeting bringing together the researcher and BCAPC research users in October 2026. Meeting topics: Introduction, relationship-building and shared expectations; Small/large group discussions re: barriers and facilitators to access and on-boarding; Group consensus re: priorities
VENUE: Living with Aphasia Lab, UBC Vancouver
EVENT PARTICIPANTS:
Dr. Howe, Manveet Lail and Elaina McCarron (BCAPC speech-language pathologist who is an additional Research User Co-Lead) will plan the event and meet after to plan for future collaborations based on the event outcomes.
Meeting Facilitators: Dr. Howe, Graduate Student Research Assistant
BCAPC Research User Meeting Participants (nominated to represent different BCAPC groups):
-two individuals with aphasia*
-family member of a different individual with aphasia
-volunteer BCAPC group facilitator
-speech-language pathologist who has referred PWA to BCAPC
-BCAPC speech-language pathology assistant
-Elaina McCarron, BCAPC speech-language pathologist
*A communication support assistant will provide communication support for the two PWA.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES:
– Creation of an ongoing researcher-research user collaboration that can work together on research initiatives to optimize the BCAPC program for PWA
– Enhanced understanding and a consensus re: research priorities from the collaboration re: barriers and facilitators to accessing and onboarding to BCAPA
– Enhanced relationship among PWA, the researcher and others re: improving quality of life of PWA in BC
– Practical experience for a graduate research assistant in supporting the development of a researcher-research user collaboration
ADDITIONAL TEAM MEMBERS AND PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS:
– Additional Co-Lead: Elaina McCarron, PhD Candidate, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of – British Columbia – Vancouver
– Participating Not-Profit Community Organization: Stroke Recovery BC