Speech and Language Therapy Services for Adults

Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

At least one-fourth of all stroke survivors experience speech and/or language impairments, involving the ability to speak, write, and understand spoken and written language. Speech-language pathologists help stroke survivors with aphasia relearn how to use language or develop alternative means of communication. They also help people improve their ability to swallow, and they work with patients to develop problem-solving and social skills needed to cope with the after-effects of a stroke.

Cognitive Rehabilitation

A speech-language pathologist will assess cognitive-communication skills, including attention and orientation. Recent memory skills are assessed, such as whether the main details in a short story are retained. The SLP assesses the patient’s ability to plan, organize, and attend to details (e.g., completing all of the steps for brushing teeth). The person may be asked to provide solutions to problems (reasoning and problem solving; e.g., “What would you do if you locked your keys in your car? How can this problem be avoided in the future?”).

Voice Therapy for Adults

Voice therapy is an approach to treating voice disorders that involves vocal and physical exercises coupled with behavioral changes.

The purpose of voice therapy is to help you attain the best possible voice and the most relief from the vocal symptoms that are bothering you.

Stuttering Therapy for Teens and Adults

Stuttering therapy for teens and adults usually means changing long-standing speech behaviors, emotions, and attitudes about talking and communication in general. As a result, length and type of therapy can vary greatly depending on your goals. A list of sample therapy goals for teens and adults includes:

• Reducing the frequency of stuttering.
• Decreasing the tension and struggle of stuttering moments.
• Working to decrease word or situation avoidances.
• Learning more about stuttering.
• Using effective communication skills such as eye contact or phrasing; and,determining whether goals relate to long-term change or to meet a specific short-term need, such as a job interview.

Accent Modification/Reduction Therapy

A speech-language pathologist can provide services to speakers who want to modify or reduce their accent. People who receive these types of services include the following: non-native English speakers, speakers who want to reduce a regional accent, business and medical professionals who want to improve their communication skills because of a foreign or regional accent.

Treatment of Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)

Several diseases, conditions, or surgical interventions can result in swallowing problems. Swallowing disorders can occur at different stages in the swallowing process:

• Oral phase – sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat.
• Pharyngeal phase – starting the swallowing reflex, squeezing food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent food or liquid from entering the airway (aspiration) or to prevent choking.
• Esophageal phase – relaxing and tightening the openings at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing food through the esophagus into the stomach.