|
Speech Language Therapy  A Speech Language Therapist is trained in the area of swallowing and in the development of communication speech, and language. The reason they are trained in both these areas is many of the same muscles, nerves and body parts are used in both communication and swallowing. Communication is a complex activity that involves us understanding and being understood and includes:
Swallowing or dysphagia is a common consequence of many health conditions, head and neck surgery and ageing, affecting over 20% of over 50 year olds. Signs of swallowing problems may include: • coughing while eating or drinking • choking while eating and drinking • repeated chest infections • taking longer to eat or drink • reduced appetite • unplanned weight loss • problems eating/drinking in public • food sticking in your throat • difficulty chewing tough foods • dribbling • food/fluid coming out of your nose • spilling food from mouth while eating • wet or gurgly sounding voice after eating or drinking • problems with drinking enough fluid  What does a Speech Language Therapist do? Communication Speech Language Therapists give practical solutions to improve your communication, such as:
With you, and those supporting you, they will:
Swallowing (Dysphagia)
Speech Language Therapists will give practical solutions to improve your eating and drinking, such as: • swallowing exercises • the best position to eat and drink • advice on special cutlery or cups to make eating and drinking easier • advice on food and fluids and how to make them so they are safe to swallow • advice on the ways to feed when eating and drinking is no longer safe With you, and those supporting you, they will: • tailor a plan for you and help you put it into action • review plan if required • recommend equipment and its funding Who does a Speech Language Therapist work with? Adults and children with a variety of communication and or swallowing difficulties. Conditions that may require help from a Speech Language Therapist include: Developmental
Health and wellbeing
Neurological
How does a Speech Language Therapist work? The way in a Speech Language Therapist works is determined by the individual needs of the client and may include one or a combination of the following approaches. Consultation and Monitoring Consultation is an effective way of working with a person to improve their communication wherever they live, work play or learn. Therapists work together with the Significant Others, who are in the best position to carry out ideas on a day- to-day basis. The Speech Language Therapist can provide support and regular review. Direct/Hands On Intervention The therapist carries out a programme on a regular basis, in a one-to-one or group setting. Transdisciplinary Team Approach People we work with may require support from a range of therapists including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitian, and music therapists. At Therapy Professionals Ltd we work within a transdisciplinary team and are able to provide support one another’s programmes when appropriate. If you think you or someone you know needs a speech language therapist Therapy Professionals Ltd’s friendly Speech Language Therapist can help, just contact us: Phone: 377 5280 Fax: 377 5281 Email: [email protected] ‘Young at heart, slightly older in other places’ – Eating and drinking problems and ageing. Swallowing difficulties (Dysphagia) are a common consequence of many health conditions, and head and neck surgeries, however swallowing difficulties can also be associated with ageing. Estimates suggest up to 20% of all adults over 50 may be affected.
Changes might include such things as reduction in muscle strength for chewing, taste and smell, dental issues, dry mouth or throat, or recurrent illness such as pneumonia. These changes may result in poor nutrition and hydration, unintended weight loss, avoidance of eating in public, loss of enjoyment in previously enjoyed food, and/or a risk of food/fluid entering the lungs (aspiration) leading to pneumonia and chronic lung disease. What might you notice?
Who can you talk to?
For further information or advice please contact Therapy Professionals Ltd as follows: Phone (03) 3775280, Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.therapyprofessionals.co.nz Our Dietitian or Speech Language Therapist will be happy to help. New technologies reduce falls Among fall-prevention technologies, whole body vibration is gaining momentum From Aged Care, Issue 02, 2021 The statistics are familiar: each year, one in three people aged 65 or older will fall, and falls are the second leading cause of death among older adults. The National Institutes of Health, state, and local agencies have published volumes of information about the perils of elders’ falls, but no comprehensive, feasible program to prevent falls has emerged. There is little excitement or consistency in the programs, and many produce lackluster results.
Of course, we understand the risks. But often, despite the statistics and our best efforts at motivation, many older adults make little or no effort to exercise or adopt physical activity. So, where do we go from here? The answer lies in education. In addition to identifying elders at risk of falling, it’s important to emphasise the proactive solutions that can be effective. There are scientifically researched tools available that can help significantly reduce the incidence of falls. Among the major causes of falls are: environmental, such as home trip hazards or electrical wires, footstools, elevated thresholds, and uneven outdoor terrain, including sidewalks and curbs; vestibular problems’ neuropathy and other diseases; diet; physiological problems affecting ankles, feet, knees, and hips; muscle deterioration; and obesity. Most agree that exercise, particularly weight resistance, presents the best option for older adults. However, many older adults who would benefit from such training are strangers to lifting weights or running on treadmills. For individuals in the 80s, this form of training was not widespread years ago and health clubs offering such exercises simply weren’t in existence. But there are alternatives. Whole body vibration As early as the 1970s, the East Germans and Russians were experimenting with technology that came to be known as whole body vibration (WBV). Basically, it involved a metal platform to adjust involuntarily in order to achieve balance, WBV also caused the muscles to fire at different frequencies, thereby taxing muscle strength. At first, the technology was used to train athletes, improving coordination, muscle growth, and calorie burn. During that era, the Soviets found that this new technology could be used during orbital space flight for their cosmonauts to combat the ravages of weightlessness, which caused muscle and bone density platforms and held on with straps. Concurrently, American astronauts had to abort long-term space flights because of the deleterious effects of extended weightlessness and often had to be carried on stretchers after disembarking from the capsules. Evolving technology Throughout the 1990s, WBV technology took flight in Europe; many universities and medical establishments began to quantify its results. Numerous studies were commissioned and most of the early studies emanated from Europe. Around 2000, the technology was introduced to the United States via trade shows specific to the fitness industry and directed to, for example, health clubs. There was a barrier to market entry through that means of distribution, as fitness devotees refused to believe that a few minutes on a WBV platform could deliver benefits similar to those achieved in an hour on traditional fitness equipment. However, the concept ultimately took hold in universities and physical therapy clinics, and hundreds of additional studies were conducted to understand the benefits of WBV and how it could benefit various segments of the population. The conclusions on its benefits included the following:
These results were achieved through WBV’s causation of the following responses:
About 10 years ago, competitors attempted to enter the market. Fast-forward to 2015 when researchers identified a new demographic that could benefit from WBV. It appeared ideally suited for the older adult population for the following reasons:
Measuring program success How is this success measured in terms of fall prevention? There are several means of testing individuals’ likelihood of falling, and a variety of balance-testing assessments. The fear of falling plays a role in fall risk as well. By utilizing specific measurement tools, a practitioner can advise older adults regarding the following:
A new device features insole sensors that relay to the practitioner real-time information regarding walking patterns, balance, and sway with dynamic rather than static measurements. A Bluetooth relay switch attached to the shoestrings sends the information to an iPad for recording the results. Early diagnosis provides older adults and their physicians or practitioners detailed information about individuals’ fall and likelihood so recommendations on training, medication, diet, physical therapy, and other corrective measures can be made. This new science has augmented, if not surpassed, the merits of casual observation such as sit-to-stand, get-up and go, and other subjective observational tests. Other helpful devices Once older adults experience a fall or a near miss, they frequently stop moving in favour of sitting, for fear that their next move might lead to a catastrophic break of limb, hip, or skull. This results in weight gain, muscle loss, and balance deterioration, the expected physiological results of inactivity. Ankle-foot orthotics (AFO), which can enhance stability when standing and walking and sometimes correct physiological problems, can be prescribed. Confidence associated with AFO use can directly influence an older adult’s psyche regarding walking ability, helping to avoid falls. Falls are so deleterious, and physically and financially costly, that additional proactive solutions must be devised and, more importantly, implemented. Author: Brian Lewallan, Aged Care Issue 02, 2021  They care. We care. Do you Care More than a million New Zealanders care for family members and whānau who are ill, frail, injured, or have a health condition or disability. But family carers can feel invisible, taken for granted. They aren’t getting the support they need to keep going. That’s why the Carers Alliance of 50+ national not for profits is calling for a home in government for family carers, and for action to protect their mental, physical, and financial wellbeing. Help us by adding your voice to ours! Take one action, or do them all. The action we take together for family carers will make a real difference. Together we stand for family carers The Carers Alliance was formed in 2004 to call for a Carers’ Strategy for New Zealand. This was achieved in 2008, with three five-year Action Plans since. But progress has been too slow. That’s why the 50+ national not for profits in the Carers Alliance are taking action. Family carers need us – and you – to make sure they can get support, stay well, and keep caring. We are seeking a Minister or Commissioner for family carers, and true commitment to help them have breaks (respite), financial recognition for their work, flexible employment, help for children and young people who are carers, and legislative recognition and wellbeing protections for our country’s 1m+ family, whānau, and āiga carers. Please join us in taking action to support family carers – sign the petition and take some of our other actions. Your support will make a real difference. · Sign the petition calling for a home in government and better support for family carers · Send us a photo message calling for action or to support the campaign · Share your story about caring · Send our e-card to all MPs, Ministers, political party leaders, and the Prime Minister Find out more about how to add your voice at We Care If you would like to sign it, or send it on to others, here is the link: https://wecare.nz/testimonial/ Why should you care? You may already be a family carer, or maybe someone in your whānau has this role. Tomorrow, it could be you. Are you losing your mobility? As we age most of us want to keep our independence, this requires us to be mobile. The ability to get up and about with ease is essential for everyday life.
How might you know if you are in danger of losing your mobility? To help, here are some early signs of immobility. They include:
There are many reasons why immobility may happen as we age, some common ones are:
The good news is in most cases we can improve our mobility by dealing with the underlying problem and doing regular strength and balance exercises. The sooner we start the better off we will be. Regardless of our age, regular exercise keeps us fit and makes us feel better. Being physically active strengthens the heart and lungs while supplying increased oxygen to the body. This nourishes and strengthens muscles and joints making them work more efficiently. The spin-off is you have greater mobility, feel more energetic, look better and possibly have more fun. If you or someone you know is showing signs of immobility our friendly Physiotherapists can help just contact us at Therapy Professionals. Ph: 03 377 5280 Email: [email protected] |
AuthorShonagh O'Hagan Archives
December 2025
|
RSS Feed