Treatment Approaches For Speech Disorders

Being able to communicate clearly and effectively is crucial to living a satisfying life. Expressing your feelings, stating your needs, and socializing with friends and loved ones are important to both your physical health and your emotional well-being.

Unfortunately, many older adults struggle with their speech and language. Age-related illness, injury, or chronic health conditions can hinder your ability to communicate, and when left untreated, can contribute to feelings of isolation and depression. With speech therapy, you can improve your quality of life by restoring lost communication skills and reconnecting with the world.

The Goal of Speech Therapy for Adults

Speech disorders in older adults are often caused by one or more of the following health conditions:

• Stroke or brain hemorrhage

• Brain injury due to an accident or fall

• Progressive, degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s

Depending on the region of the brain affected, language and speech processing may be impacted in different ways. No matter what the cause, speech-language pathologists can help to improve voice function, muscle movement, cognition, and language. Speech therapy for adults is about more than learning how to talk. It’s about the ability to form coherent thoughts, and getting those thoughts across in a way that others can understand – with the ultimate goal of living a full, healthy, independent life.

Different Approaches to Treat Speech Disorders

Because there are so many different causes of speech disorders, treatment must be individualized. Different conditions necessitate different services and treatment plans. Some of the more common approaches to treating speech disorders include:

• Muscle Strengthening

Many speech disorders are a function of muscle weakness. Strokes, brain injury, or Parkinson’s disease can cause conditions such as dysarthria and apraxia, leaving you physically unable to move your tongue or lips in order to form the words you need to say. In these cases, treatment focuses on getting your muscles to move correctly, by repeatedly practicing mouth movements and deliberately slowing down your speech.

• Memory Training

Sometimes, speech disorders are a result of cognitive deficiencies – an inability to recall the right words, or trouble getting the words to travel from your brain to your mouth. This is quite common after a stroke and is a significant issue in patients suffering from dementia. To improve speech for these individuals, speech-language pathologists will often work on improving attention span, developing problem-solving skills, and practicing the recall of important information.

• Support Groups

Some types of speech disorders can improve with the help of group therapy. Speaking with other patients in a safe, supportive environment enables you to practice newly developed communication skills and strengthen your vocabulary, preparing you to function independently.

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication

For severe speech or language problems, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can give you a way to communicate without using your voice. There are many ways to use AAC, including body language, pen and paper, or even speech-generating devices. A speech-language pathologist can help to identify the right method of AAC for you.

Recover speech and communication at Bella Vista Health Center

At Bella Vista Health Center, we understand the unique challenges facing older adults who struggle with speech disorders. That’s why we have the best speech therapy programs San Diego has to offer, designed and customized by dedicated speech-language pathologists in a caring treatment environment. Whether you or a loved one has suffered from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or a degenerative illness, we have the tools you need to regain the ability to communicate.

Call us at  (619) 644-1000 to find out more about our speech therapy services.

FAQ About Speech Therapy for Adults

While speech therapy is known to be incredibly helpful to children with speech and language issues, many people are not aware of the benefits speech therapy can provide for adults as well. Adult speech therapy is often part of recovery programs for illnesses or injury, and it can also help manage other medical conditions that affect speech, language and eating. Here are some common questions about how speech therapy can help adults:

What is speech therapy for adults?

The goal of speech therapy is the same for any age: to improve skills that will lead to more effective and confident communication. Some adults need speech therapy to address a medical condition, while others need help reorganizing thoughts, orientation, and memory following an injury or illness. During an initial evaluation, prospective speech therapy patients will be evaluated on the following areas:

• Speech: quality and clarity of sound production

• Voice: pitch, volume, quality, and resonance

• Language: expressive language (expressing thoughts and ideas) and receptive language (understanding others)

• Cognitive communication: memory, orientation, problem solving, organization and attention

• Social communication: conversational dynamics

Speech therapy can also address stuttering and its impact on the patient’s social communication, as well as swallowing issues linked to speech deficiencies. 

What conditions can affect speech for adults?

Medical issues such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or Multiple Sclerosis can affect speaking and language skills. Accidents that injure the brain, throat, jaw, or facial structure can also impair the ability to speak. While adult speech therapy is not guaranteed to cure all speech disabilities, many patients see strong improvement in language skills and increased confidence and quality of life.

What are common signs that an adult might need speech therapy?

An inability to speak properly is often embarrassing, and many adults are reluctant to seek help. It may be time to seek out speech therapy if your loved one experiences any combination of the following symptoms:

• Speaking softly or barely able to whisper

• Rapid rate of speech with mumbling

• Hoarseness, breathiness, or nasal and stuffy-sounding speech

• Poor vocal quality

• Decline in memory

• Decline in ability to produce or understand language

• Difficulty with non-speech movements such as sticking out the tongue

What do you treat in speech therapy?

Children typically need speech therapy for articulation disorders, which involves the inability to properly form certain word sounds, but treatment for adults involves a broader range of speech and language disorders, including:

• Fluency disorders: Affecting the flow, speed and rhythm of speech, including stuttering (blocked or interrupted speech) and cluttering (rapid speech that merges words together).

• Resonance disorders: Occurring when an obstruction of regular airflow in the oral or nasal cavities alters vibrations and voice quality, often associated with cleft palate and neurological disorders.

• Receptive disorders: Difficulty understanding and processing what others are saying, linked to autism, hearing loss and head injury.

• Expressive disorders: Difficulty expressing or conveying information, forming accurate sentences, or using correct verb tense, associated with developmental impairments or head trauma.

• Cognitive communication disorders: Difficulty communicating due to a brain injury or neurological condition that affects memory, problem solving, speaking and listening. 

What happens in speech therapy for adults?

After an assessment to determine the specific needs of the patient, speech therapy exercises can begin. Treatment plans are customized to the individual, but speech therapy sessions may include: 

• Breathing exercises to improve resonance

• Exercises to strengthen oral muscles for clarity

• Conversational strategies to improve social communication

• Activities to improve cognitive communication such as problem solving, memory, and organization 

Adult speech therapy patients will typically also be given “homework,” or customized strategies and exercises to practice at home between therapy appointments. Practicing throughout the week usually leads to faster improvement and more effective speech therapy sessions.

Do you know someone who could benefit from speech therapy? We can help.

If you’re looking for a skilled nursing facility that provides speech therapy, you’ve come to the right place. At Bella Vista Health Center in Lemon Grove, we offer a clinical Speech Therapy program that consists of treatment, support, and care for those who have difficulties with communication, cognition, or swallowing.  In addition to our skilled nursing services and five-star facility, our speech therapy after stroke programs may be just what you’re looking for to help improve your loved one’s speech and language abilities—as well as their quality of life. 

Give us a call today.

6 Signs It’s Time for Your Senior to Start Speech Therapy

Effective communication is important at any age, but it’s especially vital for seniors. Without the ability to describe their needs, concerns, and pain from illness or injury, their physical and emotional health can be at risk. 

While speech difficulties are a common part of the natural aging process—vocal cords become less elastic and larynx muscles weaken—problems can also result from strokes, dementia, and other serious medical conditions. If you have concerns about your loved one’s ability to communicate, here are 6 signs that it’s time for your senior to start speech therapy:

1. Not responding to questions

At first, it might appear that a senior’s lack of response to questions could be the result of age-related hearing loss, but if they already have a hearing aid or the unresponsiveness seems to be intentional, they might be self-conscious about not being able to speak clearly.

2. Relying on nonverbal communication

Another way seniors often hide their diminished speech capacity is by relying on nonverbal communication such as nodding or shaking their head instead of saying “yes” or “no,” pointing at objects instead of requesting them with words, or depending on facial expressions to convey their emotions.

3. Difficulty managing financial, personal, or medical affairs

Even if a senior is not completely silent, speech difficulties can result in problems dealing with finances, medical matters, and personal concerns. Pay attention to how your senior communicates not just with you, but also with doctors, nurses, bank tellers and other professionals.

4. Difficulty eating and swallowing

Another symptom of weak larynx muscles is difficulty or inability to swallow food, or coughing when swallowing. This can have an immediate and dangerous effect on a senior’s nutritional and overall health, but speech therapy involves exercises that can help regain swallowing ability.

5. Voice hoarseness

A hoarse, gravelly, or raspy voice is another symptom of speech difficulties that at first seems like something else, such as a common cold. But the if the hoarseness persists, it could be a sign of weakness in the vocal cords or larynx. Starting speech therapy early can help strengthen them before the problem gets worse.

6. Cognitive changes

Aging muscles and vocal cords aren’t the only age-related cause of speech difficulties. Cognitive impairments from dementia can also drastically affect speech, along with symptoms related to stroke. If your loved one seems increasingly forgetful or can’t seem to find the right words, they may benefit from a neuropsychological evaluation to diagnose the problem, followed by speech therapy to support recovery from cognitive impairments.

Help your loved one reclaim their voice

Whether the issue is communicating effectively or swallowing safely, speech therapists are trained to design individualized treatment programs to help seniors regain their voice and independence. If you’re looking for speech therapy in San Diego, come see us at Bella Vista Health Care.  We have skilled, compassionate professionals ready to help your loved ones with speech therapy, physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and a number of other rehabilitative services. Give us a call to schedule a tour today.
 

The Benefits of Speech Therapy for Seniors

When you think of speech therapy, you probably think of school-based specialists helping children pronounce R’s or get rid of a lisp. But the ability to communicate effectively is important at any age, including for seniors whose speech may be affected by age or illness. Aside from the social impact of a speech impediment, emergency situations can occur if a senior citizen is unable to communicate pain, discomfort, or other concerns. Fortunately, speech therapy specialized for elderly patients is available, and it provides benefits beyond improved communication. Here’s how speech therapy can help:

Strengthens vocal cords

Like many other parts of our bodies, vocal cords become less elastic with age, which weakens the larynx muscles and makes communication more difficult. Speech therapy might not be able to “fix” the elasticity of vocal cords, but specialized vocal exercises can strengthen them and improve the quality of communication.

Improves ability to swallow

Another consequence of age-weakened muscles is the diminished ability to swallow, which increases the likelihood of choking on food. The strengthening effect of speech therapy on vocal cords and larynx and jaw muscles can improve the swallowing reflex and increase comfort and safety during meals.

Treats stroke-related disorders

Speech therapy is typically recommended for patients who have suffered a stroke, targeting two different disorders: aphasia and apraxia. 

Aphasia is the difficulty in finding the right words to express thoughts, such as saying “table” when the patient means “chair.” About a quarter of all stroke survivors experience aphasia, and long-term speech therapy helps patients focus in order to find the correct word. 

Apraxia is the inability of a patient to move their lips properly in order to form words. Speech therapy for apraxia involves repetition of specific sounds before turning those sounds into words. 

For either disorder, speech therapy after a stroke should begin as soon as possible —immediate treatment increases the chances of full recovery.

Treats memory loss and dementia

Seniors suffering from memory loss and dementia can also find benefits in speech therapy, even if their speaking abilities are normal. Speech therapy preserves the brain functions associated with communication, and helps address the cognitive aspects of communication including attention and problem solving. Therapists can also assist loved ones, teaching them how to improve communication with seniors struggling with memory loss.

Improves quality of life

Communication is an integral part of life for practical and social reasons, which is why many seniors with untreated speech issues are prone to isolation and medical problems. Improving a senior’s ability to speak will increase their safety, health, and the quality of life that comes with participating in social activities. 

Bella Vista Health Center can help

If you notice that an elderly loved one is having trouble communicating, processing, and organizing information, it might be time to consider speech therapy. At Bella Vista Health Center, we offer a clinical speech therapy program consisting of treatment, support, and care for those who have difficulties with communication, swallowing, and cognition. For more information, give us a call or drop by our 5-star facility in Lemon Grove today.

When is it Time to Seek Speech Therapy?

When is it Time to Seek Speech Therapy?

If you’ve suffered a brain injury, stroke or fall, you might find that it’s a little bit harder to speak than it was before. Or, perhaps you’re in perfect health but you’re getting older and are having trouble chewing and swallowing. In either case, speech therapy can be a wonderful tool for regaining your independence and ability to communicate effectively with doctors, family, and friends. 

Choosing to participate in speech therapy is a personal choice, and the decision isn’t always an easy one. However, admitting you need help is nothing to be ashamed of. The aging process has many effects on the body, and this often includes one’s ability to speak. As you get older, your vocal cords become less elastic and your larynx muscles may weaken. This can make it hard to talk in a manner you’re used to. That’s where speech therapy comes in. A speech language pathologist can help you relearn how to talk using vocal exercises, muscle retraining, compensatory strategies, and use of communication devices.

When to seek help

At Bella Vista Health Center, our speech therapy program is designed around an individual plan of care that addresses your specific needs. While everyone is different, there are a few telltale signs it’s time to seek the help of a speech therapist. You may need to consider speech therapy if you or a loved one:

• Has difficulty requesting items and answering questions spontaneously
• Has trouble swallowing food or water and often coughs before, during or after
• Experiences a change in the pitch, volume, or quality of his or her voice
• Struggles with normal speech flow due to frequent repetition or prolongation of speech sounds, syllables or words
• Has difficulty putting words together to express him or herself in an appropriate manner
• Has trouble saying words correctly to the point that listeners can’t understand what is being said
• Experiences problems remembering words and/or has completely lost his or her ability to speak, read, or write
• Experiences problems remembering things, paying attention, or solving problems

Once you’ve decided to seek the help of a speech therapist, the first thing he or she will do is complete an evaluation. At this appointment, your therapist will perform some basic tests to determine the problem and how to address it. He or she will also talk to you about your goals for regaining your speaking abilities and how you can work together to achieve them.

We’re here for you

If you or a loved is having difficulty communicating, the best thing you can do is seek the help of a professional. At Bella Vista Health Care, our speech therapy program offers a careful balance of treatment, support, and care for those who have difficulties with speaking, cognition, coordinated muscular movements, and swallowing.

Are you in the San Diego area and looking for a safe and comfortable setting where you can recover and rehabilitate? Give us a call to schedule a tour of our 5-star nursing facility in Lemon Grove today. Once you meet our professional and friendly staff, we think you’ll feel right at home.