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Cognition and Memory

Alzheimer's & Dementia Care

Learn ways to communicate better with a loved one with dementia and get tips to make your home dementia-friendly.

Watch: Creating a Dementia Friendly Home

Watch: Caregiver Communication Tips for Alzheimer's

Check out our Dementia Support Resources on the blog.

Certain cognitive disorders such as brain injuries, tumors, stroke, Parkinson's disease and dementia can affect your attention, concentration, memory, problem-solving skills, thought organization and reasoning.

Cognitive abilities may decline over time and progress at different rates. During early stages of cognitive impairment, you may have poor short-term memory, difficulty managing medications and finances, mood changes, difficulty finding the right words, and may repeat stories. This early stage is the ideal time to begin treatment.

During mid stage, you have moderate cognitive decline that includes forgetting personal details, getting lost, changes in eating habits, and anxiety or agitation.

Late stage impairment is severe cognitive decline that includes poor communication skills, inability to recognize people, and difficulty completing daily activity. At this stage, therapy is recommended to train and educate family members about how to maximize safety and quality of life at home.

Treatment

Our speech-language pathologists work one-on-one with patients and their caregivers. We encourage caregivers to get involved because a strong support system and personal insight help obtain the best outcomes.

Therapy may include:

  • Teach memory strategies to help a loved one stay safe and maintain their independence so they can stay in their home longer
  • Make recommendations for modifying the living environment
  • Support caregivers in communicating effectively and provide resources to improve quality of life and minimize stress and anxiety
  • Assess any eating, drinking or swallowing disorders and recommend ways to decrease the risk of malnutrition and/or weight loss
  • Help patients and their families make informed decisions about the continuum of care as the condition progresses

Our speech-language pathologists also provide personalized voice and swallow therapy, including VitalStim®.

Contact Us

Most insurance providers cover speech therapy services with a doctor's orders. Discover how speech therapy can help you or your loved one by calling our Outpatient Rehabilitation Services department at 816.691.1795.