Aphasia Bill of Rights

On September 25, 2005 an Aphasia Bill of Rights was published by the National Aphasia Association, stating all of the rights that patients suffering from aphasia have. You may wonder why this was necessary, as did I, but as I read this website I learned that many people suffering from aphasia are never properly diagnosed and are unaware that what they are experiencing is an actual medical condition. Because of this, many patients would not receive benefits from their health care providers and would not receive the proper care necessary to improve their condition. The Executive Board of the National Aphasia Association (NAA) recognized this problem and therefore decided to set forth a bill of rights for those suffering from aphasia. These Bill of Rights state that people suffering from aphasia have the right to:

1. Be immediately informed of their condition in a way in which they understand their condition and what the implications are. 
2. Have written documentation of their condition upon release from the hospital.
3. Be informed of all resources available to them, both locally and nationally.
4. Have outpatient therapy available as deemed necessary by a certified speech pathologist.
5. Be informed if they are participating in a research project and give consent to the participation.
6. Demand benefits from health care providers and health care facilities. 
7. Have access to all of the information they are receiving through a speech therapist or otherwise qualified personnel, taking into account all cultural and language barriers that may be present. 

http://www.aphasia.org/docs/Bill%20of%20Rights.pdf