What Can Speech Therapy Offer In The Home

Posted on: 7 August 2020

If your loved one has suffered a stroke or another type of disease that affects communication, then you may be eligible for home health care that involves the services of a speech therapist. The therapist can work on overall communication to ensure that your loved one is able to meet their needs. Keep reading to learn a little bit more about what a speech therapist will do when involved in home health care.

Speech Assistance

First and foremost, the speech therapist will work with your loved one on basic speech and language skills. This allows for the best verbal communication possible. To ensure that your loved one is understood, they will be asked to take part in a variety of different speech exercises. These allow for good articulation, volume, and resonance. The therapist will also want to ensure the consistency of the voice. 

Exercises involve saying words, consonants, and vowels. Your family member may be asked to say the words using a specific rhythm. And volume will be adjusted up and down as well to encourage understanding and voice control.

In addition to speech exercises, your loved one will also move their mouth in various ways to build strength. Sticking the tongue out and moving it side to side is one common exercise. Puckering the lips, smiling, and lip grimacing may be involved too. And if your loved one cannot yet use their voice, the therapist may ask that they use their lips and tongue to silently form words.

Language Help

Individuals who experience strokes will often develop issues with speech that involve language. This is a neurological problem that the speech therapist can help with. They will use word cards and ask your loved one to read the words aloud. They will also use pictures that your loved one will need to identify. The therapist may also ask questions to prompt specific responses to work on language comprehension skills. Writing may also be a part of the language therapy.

In many cases, the therapist will use technology to support your loved one's ability to communicate. So, you may be asked to purchase a tablet or a smartphone. Applications will be added to the device that offer different games to encourage speech. Also, programs may be suggested that allow your loved on to press on different pictures to communicate without using the voice.

Speech therapists are an integral part of home health, so speak with your local healthcare service to find out more about what they can offer to your loved one. 

Share