Speech and Language Therapy in Care Homes
What is Speech and Language Therapy?
Speech and Language Therapy is a type of treatment that is given to people of all ages who experience difficulties with aspects of communication including speaking, understanding, writing and reading. This is more medically known as Aphasia. It is also given to people who encounter challenges with eating, drinking and swallowing and for older people, this is usually as a result of an illness or condition that affects the neurological communication between the brain and the muscles used to speak and swallow.
What is the role of a Speech and Language Therapist?
Speech and Language Therapists, otherwise known as SLTs, are amongst the many healthcare professionals who provide support and care for those with communication and consumption difficulties. There are many reasons as to why someone may need to undertake Speech and Language Therapy and an SLT can help from the offset, as they carry out assessments that can help diagnose the difficulties.
Once a diagnosis has been made, whether for communication or consumption, they will work with loved ones and staff to come up with an appropriate care plan and treat the diagnosis with various forms of exercises and therapies to improve the everyday challenges that someone may be experiencing.
What do SLTs do in a Care Home?
SLT’s work with residents in care homes who have neurological impairments as a result of conditions such as Cerebral Palsy or after a stroke for example. They also help those with degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson’s Disease. Their role is to help residents improve their communication and/or consumption and to ensure they are expressing themselves to the best of their ability.
Some care homes feature a Sensory Room, which is a special room consisting of colourful lights, sounds and soft objects with one of the purposes to help with communication skills in a calming environment. Interactive Sensory Rooms can help to engage those who are withdrawn, by stimulating their senses and facilitating positive interactions between them and their carer. Minimal interruptions and distractions in a Sensory Room will help a resident to focus on the task at hand.
How Westerton Care Home uses Speech and Language Therapy
Our care home in Bearsden, Glasgow offers high standards of care and support including Nursing, Respite, Dementia and Residential Care. Within these care types, there may be a need for additional support from a Speech and Language Therapist.
With every resident that joins Westerton Care Home, we start with an initial consultation to learn more about them and to discuss with their family members their exact needs and requirements. Regular assessments also continue throughout our residents' stays and our knowledgeable Nurses are excellent at identifying when additional support may be required.
At some point, whether discussed in the initial consultation or further along in our residents' journey, we may find that they may benefit from Speech and Language Therapy. In these instances, we will bring in an SLT who will work closely with our Nurses and Team Leaders as well as the residents and their families to develop a care plan that suits their individual needs.
Whether it’s in our peaceful sensory room or out in our landscaped garden on a sunny day, our SLT’s will hold therapy sessions for our residents wherever they feel comfortable. These sessions consist of activities and games such as Yoga Speech Therapy, Opposites Attract, Name Game and sound-focused games. Those that have trouble with swallowing can benefit from Dysphagia treatment swallowing activities that can help with muscle strength and control, the ability to swallow and the contact and coordination between the different muscles used when swallowing.
Our care home in Glasgow provides quality care in a real home-from-home environment. Our residents receive personalised care, whilst having a plethora of luxury facilities at their fingertips, such as a Hair Salon and Cinema Room. Our Activities Coordinator also puts together a varied programme for all our residents, including those living with Dementia, which sees our residents take part in all sorts such as arts & crafts and trips into Glasgow City Centre.
If you would like to know more about our care home located in Bearsden, then we welcome you to get in touch with our home manager.
