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Speech-Language Evaluation & Treatment  |  Dysphagia Evaluation & Treatment  |  VitalStim® Therapy
Rehab Consulting Services

Speech-Language Evaluation and Treatment
The ability to communicate is essential not only to your ability to work and learn, but also your ability to enjoy life and your relationships with others. We have extensive experience in the evaluation and treatment of most adult speech-language and cognition disorders, including those related to stroke, head injury, Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrigs), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Once an evaluation is completed to determine the degree of impairment, the therapist will collaborate with the patient and family members to establish goals that will assist them in functioning at their highest level with communication.

Dysphagia Evaluation and Treatment
We all take the ability to swallow for granted. It is as necessary to sustaining life as our ability to breath. Difficulty with swallowing not only affects the quality of our lives but can cause life threatening pneumonia in our lungs. Difficulty swallowing or dysphagia, can be the result of stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, MS, Alzheimers, spinal cord injury, Cerebral Palsy, injury or surgery to the head or neck, cancer of the mouth, throat or esophagus, or a generalized weakness related illness or injury.

We provide a comprehensive swallowing evaluation for each patient. We may recommend a Modified Barium Swallow Study if one has not already been completed or significant time has passed since completing one.

Our primary goal is to improve swallowing ability so that the patient may tolerate the least restrictive diet safely.

Treatment may include any or all of the following:

• Oral exercises
• Sensory Stimulation
• Trials of various food and liquid consistencies
• Compensatory techniques
• VitalStim Therapy

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Specialty – VitalStim® Therapy

Dysphagia
15 million Americans are estimated to have dysphagia or difficulty swallowing. Most of those affected are elderly, with studies suggesting that up to 75% of nursing home resident’s experience some degree of dysphagia, and as many as half of Americans over 60 will suffer from this disorder.

Traditionally treatment has included such things as oral exercises, thermal stimulation, modification of food and liquid consistencies, positioning and other compensatory techniques that may decrease the symptoms and risks. In many cases in order to try and keep the patient safe from aspiration pneumonia (a result of food or liquid going into the lungs and causing infection), many patients must remain on food and liquid consistencies that are unappealing or even worse, have to resort to being fed via a tube.

This can be frustrating not only for the treating therapist, but more so for the person suffering from the swallowing disorder. Many people suffering from dysphagia become depressed, lose weight and/or become dehydrated because they lose the desire to eat foods or drink liquids that have been altered in their consistency.

VitalStim® is an exciting new therapy, the first that has been proven to be effective in the treatment of dysphagia. Finally there is hope for those who have been suffering with dysphagia…a chance to improve their quality of life.

VitalStim® Facts

• The only Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation cleared by the FDA for the treatment of dysphagia
• Proven to be effective and safe
• Better and faster results than any traditional treatment
• Patients frequently see dramatic improvement in swallowing in 6 to 20 sessions, and sometimes within only 3 days

How VitalStim® Works
Small electrodes are placed on the surface of the patient’s neck by a therapist who has been trained and certified to be competent in providing the treatment. Small electrical currents stimulate the muscles responsible for swallowing, the muscles contract and the quality of the swallow improves. With repeat treatments the muscles are re-educated to function again.

Better Speech & Swallow therapists have been trained, certified and are experienced in using Vital Stim® Therapy. We have had very positive results with the majority of our clients, with many returning to full oral feedings after being fed with enteral feedings for both short and long periods of time.

For more information on VitalStim® Therapy please visit their website at: www.vitalstimtherapy.com

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Rehab Consulting Services
With over 12 years of experience in Skilled Nursing, subacute and hospitals, we have acquired extensive knowledge of the Medicare system, including PPS. We can handle projects from assisting your facility in developing speech programs; training new or less experienced staff and providing in-servicing to facility staff.

Consulting services may include but are not limited to:
• Quality review of current rehab program and equipment
• Development of rehab systems, policies & procedures, therapy programs
• Development of streamlined therapy documentation process to meet State and Federal Guidelines
• Staff recruiting, hiring, management
• Development of racking/monitoring systems for PPS compliance and maximization
• Restorative Nursing Aide training, program development
• Marketing of rehab program
• Development of a VitalStim® Therapy Program, marketing/collaboration with local hospitals & doctors

Feel free to contact us to arrange a free consultation to discuss the needs of your facility.

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