Whether recovering from a stroke, surgery, or short-term illness, living with dementia or Parkinson’s disease, or living at home with a chronic illness or disability, Northeast Professional Home Care’s expert speech-language therapy and other rehabilitation therapy services can help.

We work closely with the patient, their caregivers, and their personal physician to develop a customized care plan that focuses on patient safety, regaining mobility, communication, and the ability to complete daily living tasks, and regaining independence. 

Our program emphasizes continuity of care and provides a smooth transition from the hospital or rehabilitation facility to home. Each patient receives a complete assessment to determine appropriate care and therapy needs.

What is the role of a speech-language therapist?

A licensed speech-language therapist (formally known as a speech-language pathologist) provides treatment focused on improving patients’ ability to effectively communicate and safely eat. Speech-language therapists help patients experiencing problems with cognition, speech, language, voice, or swallowing due to conditions such as stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease or dementia. They will evaluate the patient and develop an individualized treatment plan to improve breathing, speaking, comprehension, and/or swallowing functions.

When might someone need a speech-language therapist?

You may receive the services of an speech-language therapist if you have:

• Medical conditions that can impair one’s ability to effectively communicate, such as stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury
• Loss of ability to understand speech
• Loss of ability to express speech
• Decreased ability to safely swallow
• Weakened speech muscles
• Loss of ability to properly articulate speech sounds

When ordered by your doctor, speech-language therapy is often covered by Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, or your private insurance carrier.

Services of our licensed speech-language therapists include:

• Teaching adaptations to more safely and effectively complete activities of daily living (ADLs) that require communication or swallowing
• Assessment and diagnosis of communication challenges
• Treatment plan development
• Guiding and monitoring patients through proper completion of communication exercises
• Teaching patients and family members how to safely and effectively complete therapeutic exercises at home
• Helping patients compensate for temporary or permanent communication impairments
• Helping patients compensate for impaired hearing
• Creating safer conditions for eating and drinking
• Teaching family members how to more effectively communicate with their loved one who is struggling to communicate
• Helping patients receive and learn to use assistive devices and communication aids, if needed

The ability to effectively communicate is absolutely essential to quality of life. Northeast Professional Home Care’s speech-language therapists understand this and can help you or your loved one maintain your freedom, independence, and connections with others and rehabilitate in the privacy and comfort of your own surroundings.

Benefits of in-home speech-language therapy services:

• Increase your independence and ability to complete daily living activities
• Learn ways to adapt your communication techniques and your environment to more successfully interact with others and complete tasks that have become more difficult due to illness, injury, or other medical condition
• Implement systems with your speech-language therapist to ensure a safer and more socially connected space for recovery
• Ability to recover and learn adaptive skills where you are most comfortable – at home
• Your in-home speech-language therapist will educate and empower you about your own health status and recovery
• Learn how to safely and effectively use assistive devices, if needed, to help you connect more successfully with others 
• Enjoy the privacy and autonomy that comes with receiving in-home care
• One-on-one attention from an speech-language therapist that is not rushing between patients
• Northeast Professional Home Care works with you, your family, your case manager, and your physician to ensure is your rehabilitation plan is safe, supportive of your medical goals, and tailored to your needs
• Your speech-language therapist coordinates your in-home treatment plan along with other care team members that you may need for your recovery, like skilled nurses, physical and occupational therapists, home health aides and medical social workers 

Click below for more information about how in-home speech-language therapy services can support vital communication for your family.