Have you lost clear communication with your elderly loved one or adult with special needs? Don’t feel frustrated; this just means you need to find other means to talk to each other. Speech therapy techniques often help construct a new form of communication. It also helps to prevent your loved one from losing communication completely. Try some of these techniques to keep the conversation going between you and your loved one.
What Is Speech Therapy?
With so many new types of therapies to help with everyday life for an individual, speech therapy is important to keep someone’s ability to speak active. Speech therapy is a form of intervention to improve an individual’s speech and ability to express themselves. This includes understanding verbal and nonverbal language.
Two components of speech therapy are:
- Addressing the use of language through body, sign, written, and pictorial, as well as the use of alternative communication systems like computers and social media
- Coordination with their mouth to produce sounds and form words and sentences
Professionals in speech therapy use alternative speech therapy techniques with any nonverbal patient. This teaches them to use their iPads or computers to communicate with text or a voice synthesizer.
Speech Therapy Techniques You Can Try
Wondering how to use speech therapy for someone with a disability or an elderly loved one? Try these activities to improve your communication with them or discover other means of speaking to each other.
Hand gestures
Waving when you leave or clapping is a great way to develop a nonverbal form of communication with your loved one. Hand gestures you use become associated with words your loved one can use to communicate with you.
Speak slowly
Sounding out your words when speaking to your loved one helps them process them. Use simple words they can grasp and speak with a friendly tone. When they repeat a word incorrectly, repeat the word gently so they hear and understand how they were saying the word differently.
Communication encouragement
Make a point to encourage your loved one to use verbal or nonverbal communication, whichever is easier for them. Learn together various ways to get each other’s attention or speak with each other.
Nevada Adult Day Healthcare Centers Offers Your Loved One Innovative Therapies
We thrive to provide your loved one—whether elderly or disabled—with quality therapies to keep them active. Our occupational speech therapy helps keep their communication active and aid them with discovering other forms of speaking with you. Visit us today to see our therapy and activities in action!
