Our clinicians regularly participate in professional development to further hone their skills and ensure that they remain up to date with the latest research evidence. One of our speech pathologists recently completed advanced training with Speech Pathology Australia in Metacognitive Strategy Instruction (MSI). This innovative approach is a powerful tool for helping individuals recovering from brain [...]
Effective communication is a cornerstone for good quality of life. For adults with communication challenges, we can use tools and strategies to optimise communication and enhance quality of life. These tools and strategies can be grouped under the heading Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). In this article we will explore one type of AAC, namely [...]
Communication is fundamental to our everyday lives. Whether it’s expressing our thoughts, needs, or emotions, the ability to communicate effectively plays a crucial role in our personal and professional interactions. However, for some individuals, communication is not as straightforward due to what is known as Complex Communication Needs (CCN). In Speech Pathology Week 2024, [...]
Aphasia is relatively uncommon after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), with incidence estimated between 2-32%. In May 2024, I presented a poster at the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI) conference. This article provides supplementary materials to that poster. Scroll to the bottom of this post for references and to find a [...]
Dementia is more than just memory loss. It is a collection of symptoms affecting thinking, memory, language, and behaviour. A person with Dementia may have difficulty completing everyday tasks like reading, writing, expressing emotions, finding words when talking, and participating in conversations. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. Rather, it is caused by brain disease. [...]
When a person experiences communication difficulties because of a cognitive problem, they may have a "cognitive-communication impairment". For example, a person might have an underlying memory problem which results in difficulty remembering the topic of a conversation, or difficulty remembering the steps in an instruction. These communication difficulties are caused by the memory impairment, [...]
For some individuals, verbal communication is not feasible or effective. Does this mean that the individual is unable to communicate? Of course not! It may mean that the person uses something other that speech to get their message across. Cue Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). In this article by our speech pathologist Jordan Duncan, we explain [...]
Aphasia is caused by damage to parts of the brain responsible for language, usually due to stroke or brain injury. How severe the aphasia is relates to how much a person’s language is affected. A person with mild aphasia might have word finding difficulties, problems explaining complex information, or difficulties understanding complex information. Even though [...]
The speech pathology Allied Health Assistant, or AHA, can aid the delivery and administration of speech pathology services. The AHA is not a replacement for a qualified speech pathologist. Rather, the AHA can make a speech pathology program more efficient and effective. This creates benefits for both clients and speech pathologists. You pay a reduced [...]
Speech pathologists play a key role in dementia management. Speech pathology intervention in dementia includes treating speech, language, communication, cognitive, and swallowing disorders that arise across the progression of the disease. This evidence-based summary of dementia interventions was written by two speech pathology students on placement with Wollongong Speech Pathology: Clarisse Baker and Sarah [...]
