Free printable aphasia card

Some people call it an aphasia ID card, an aphasia wallet card or an "I have aphasia" card. It is the same thing.

What's in the free file

• Three wallet cards on one page. Each card is a strip with the front and the back side by side. Fold the strip in half, print facing out, and it is one card with print on both sides.
• Bank-card size. Folded, each card is 85.6 by 54 mm (about 3 3/8 by 2 1/8 inches), so it fits a wallet slot.
• Large print. "I have aphasia." is in 20 point bold, and every other printed line on the front is 14 point.
• A back to fill in: name, who to call, and their phone number. Type them once before you print and they fill in on all three cards (this works in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader), or write by hand.
• Page 2: how to print, cut, fold, protect and carry the card.
• Sizes: US Letter and A4, as two files. The card prints the same size on both.

What does the card say?

The 7 lines on our aphasia card

The front is 19 words.

Line 2 is there for a reason. Aphasia affects language, not intelligence. The American Stroke Association says it plainly: "Aphasia doesn't affect intelligence." The National Aphasia Association adds that people with aphasia still know what they want to say and can make their own decisions.

Line 1 alone is not enough. About one in three Americans has never heard the word "aphasia", according to the National Aphasia Association. So the card names it, then says it again in plain words.

Who carries one?

An adult with aphasia who goes out alone or with family: to shops, appointments, the bus. The National Aphasia Association suggests showing a card when buying groceries, paying for gas or meeting new people.

The card is for out and about. For talking at home, see our guide to aphasia communication boards. For a hospital stay, there is a free basic needs board.

How to print, cut, fold and protect it

1. Print at "Actual size" (100%), not "Fit to page", on white cardstock. Black and white is fine.
2. Fill in the back first: the person's name, who to call, and that phone number. Type them before you print, or use a fine permanent pen. A family member can do this.
3. Cut along the dashed lines.
4. Fold each strip in half along the dotted line, with the print facing out.
5. Check the size against a bank card. If yours is smaller, the printer shrank the page: go back to step 1.
6. Protect it with a laminating pouch, clear packing tape on both sides, or a clear badge sleeve. Leave a thin clear edge when you trim, so the seal holds.
7. Make more than one, so a spare is ready when a card gets left on a counter.

Where do people keep copies?

• Wallet: the front slot, ahead of the bank cards.
• Phone case: behind a clear case, or in the card pocket.
• Car: clipped to the sun visor or in the door pocket.
• Bag or coat: the same pocket every time.
• With family: one spare with whoever usually comes along.
• On the phone: a photo of the card, as a backup to the paper one.

How to hand it over

These steps are for the person who carries the card. Try them once at home, with a family member playing the shop clerk.

1. Get the card out before your turn, while you wait in line or in the waiting room.
2. Hand it over first, before you try to speak. Holding it up works too.
3. Let the other person read it. Wait until they look up.
4. Then say, point, gesture or write what you came for. A small notepad and pen kept with the card lets both of you write key words.
5. Take the card back, or leave it if you carry spares.
6. If you are the family member, wait too. Let the person hand over their own card and answer for themselves.

Our Aphasia Wallet Card and Conversation Cards set has two other front wordings, a badge for a lanyard, a "how to talk with me" card, and 24 key-ring cards to point to, such as "Please write it down".

Frequently asked questions

What does an aphasia card say?

Ours says: "I have aphasia. I know what I want to say. Words are hard for me. Please give me time." The back has the person's name, who to call and a phone number. Cards from other groups word it differently.

Where can I get a free aphasia ID card?

Doctor Carissa's free card is a PDF to print at home. The National Aphasia Association and the American Stroke Association offer a free card you personalize with a name and an emergency contact, in English and Spanish. The Stroke Association in the UK and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs each publish a free wallet-size card too.

What size is an aphasia wallet card?

Ours is 85.6 by 54 mm (about 3 3/8 by 2 1/8 inches), the size of a bank card. Print at "Actual size" and hold it against a bank card before you laminate.

What should I do if someone hands me an aphasia card?

Read it, then give the person time. The National Aphasia Association's tips: pause or count to five before you ask if you can help, don't interrupt or finish the person's sentence, use short, simple sentences at a normal volume, and ask yes or no questions. You can also offer a pen and paper.

What if reading is hard for the person who carries the card?

Aphasia can affect reading as well as talking. The person who carries the card does not have to read it: the person they hand it to does. What matters is knowing which card it is and where it lives, so keep it in the same slot every time.