Fridge Functional Phrases

The idea for fridge functional phrases sparked from a need to reduce the loneliness and lack of confidence those with aphasia experience in extreme social situations. To help combat this, I created a list of functional phrases for my husband to practice when I knew he’d be in these types of situations. For instance, the holidays are a big social season. I would jot down common phrases relevant to specific holidays so Ryan would feel confident interacting with friends and family members.

Over the years, we’ve seen tremendous success with his ability to communicate and interact with those closest to him with confidence. Ryan still keeps printouts on our fridge as a reminder to practice.

When developing these practice sheets, my goal was to create something I’d be happy to see on my fridge every day. I also know the pains of running out of printer ink, so I wanted to keep them as printer-friendly as possible.

I truly hope this little practice method helps others with aphasia become more social and confident in their communication.

Anna Teal
Author, Aphasia Readers