Workplace Reentry for Adults With Aphasia: Understanding Definitions and Motivations

Purpose: Research has shown that individuals with poststroke aphasia face job loss after their stroke. While individuals living with aphasia want to go back to work, successful work reentry is often underaddressed in research. The work criteria in return-to-work research for these individuals frequently vary from study to study or are unclearly defined; additionally, these studies often overlook the perspectives of those with aphasia. This exploratory study aimed to gain insight into how individuals with poststroke aphasia define “return to work,” their perceived motivations and barriers to work reentry, and how these insights provide input for developing a more comprehensive and specific definition of return to work for future research. Method: Thirteen people with aphasia were interviewed to capture their experiences and opinions about returning to the workforce. Transcripts were analyzed using a combined deductive and inductive qualitative approach to explore participants' views and experiences of the interaction of their aphasia and their ability to reenter the workforce. Results: Analyses of the interview data consisted of four major categories including role, motivations to return to work, aphasia impact, and resources. Conclusions: Return-to-work definitions can be closely tied to individuals' motivations and lived experiences. Individuals with aphasia who want to return to the workforce may already have ideas of return-to-work roles and potential solutions for perceived barriers. Speech-language pathologists can guide conversations and support adults with aphasia across their return-to-work journey.