<i>‘But I have a cat, I have to talk to her now’</i> : a qualitative study on reasons for not participating in guideline-based aphasia therapy from the perspective of patients in German-speaking countries

As expected, there were indications of a lack of staff, poor care in rural areas and the influence of being affected by aphasia for a longer period on utilisation behaviour. These factors in the healthcare system and organisational factors are not unknown to those with practical experience, and some of them must and could be changed quickly. This would require a change from the established face-to-face setting in presence to sufficient digital therapy adjuvants. The results of patient-related factors could be a further reason to reflect on speech therapy and its settings and to view and treat people with aphasia in a more holistic, less language-focused way.