A stroke can impact you in many different ways, including loss of cognitive function, loss of motor skills, and issues with speech. In some cases, speech is physically difficult, and, in other cases, the issue falls more on the mental side. In fact, though some people may physically be able to speak as they once did, they simply have trouble putting words together, a process that can be incredibly frustrating and emotionally trying.
Working Toward Recovery
Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to recover the ability to speak, and senior speech therapy in Indiana is a crucial part of this process. Through their work, speech therapists have been able to help increase their patients’ happiness and overall quality of life. Regaining the ability to speak can also help with additional treatments since it streamlines the communication process.
Understanding Aphasia
The first step is just to understand the ailment itself and how it works. Communication problems are often due to aphasia. Though it can manifest itself a bit differently for different people, it generally makes it hard to come up with the right words, to know what words other people are saying, and to read or write.
Therapy Tactics
Fortunately, aphasia is fully treatable and can be cured. There’s no guarantee that every person will respond to the treatment in the same way, as all strokes are a bit different and there are many factors in play, but it is possible. Treatment tactics that therapists will use to treat aphasia include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The use of singing to help with words that can’t be spoken, known as melodic intonation therapy.
- The use of word games, such as crossword puzzles, to help create connections.
- Visual speech perception therapy, which helps connect words and pictures.
- Constraint-induced language therapy, which takes away other language options–such as physical motions–and forces the person to use only verbal communication.
- The use of support groups and group-based therapy sessions.
- Practice with very common tasks; for example, if someone struggles with writing, he or she could be asked to write out a grocery list. In some cases, common tasks come easily and the brain can re-create those links.
On the whole, therapy will be focused around remaining calm and relaxed, all while finding the methods that work best for an individual. As noted above, strokes impact people in different ways, and two cases of aphasia won’t always be the same. Therapy must be catered to each specific patient to be successful.
There are many reasons that people seek out short-term rehabilitation. If you are facing with one or more of these conditions, it may be time to consider the assistance and care provided by a short-term rehabilitation facility or provider.