We have a huge deal of experience in providing therapy for people with language disorders following stroke. As therapists, we have applied our expertise in numerous settings including the public and private sector. Furthermore we have provided therapy in acute and rehabilitation wards and also at home. What has taken us aback is the variability in service provision throughout the southeast. This is a difficult issue to address given the variability and lack of research around the amount, intensity and timing of therapy. This article click here addresses very well the ongoing discussion about timing of aphasia therapy. At Speakology we believe that timing of therapy, although worth taking into consideration, should not be the main focus of therapy. Instead the emphasis should be placed on providing goal-bound and high quality therapy. Here are some examples of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant/Realistic, Time-bound) goals that we have achieved with our clients:
– By the end of session four Mr S will be able to say the name of two family members to gain their attention without prompting
– By the end of session six Mr N will be able to order Cappucino at the coffee shop without prompting and support from Mrs N
– By the end of session six Mr N will be able to speak to his cousin in Gibralter over the phone and ask about how he is and what he has done during the week using a written prompt sheet
We specialise in working with clients and their families to set realistic and functional goals for therapy. We provide carry over and maintenance tasks to be completed between sessions and after therapy blocks to maintain and expedite recovery. Speech and language therapy in aphasia is not an exact science and this is not surprising as no two strokes or people can ever be exactly the same. Through thorough assessment and fact-finding an effective therapy programme can be developed to meet the needs of the client. Visit www.speakologyslt.co.uk for more information.
