Speech Therapy in Hospice Care

PRIORITIES

Comfort and Safety

At Traditions Health, we create individual care plans customized for each patient’s unique needs. Our speech therapists focus on safety and improved quality of life through clear communication.

When facial muscles become weak or hard to control, it becomes difficult for people to speak loudly and clearly. Speech therapy exercises help strengthen these muscles for clearer speech as well as more effective breathing.

If your loved one has trouble swallowing food and drinks, our therapists can help them develop the muscles needed for safe eating. We educate patients and families on food textures and various feeding techniques. Our therapists also teach the most comfortable — and safest — ways to position the body, head, and neck while eating and drinking.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Maintaining Dignity

At Traditions Health, we’re dedicated to making sure our patients maintain the highest quality of life possible. Quality of life and dignity go hand in hand. To maintain a sense of dignity, we must be able to communicate our wants and needs. It can be frustrating and embarrassing if we can’t ask for simple, everyday things like pain medications or help going to the bathroom, for example.

During end-of-life care, many patients begin to depend on others, which can lead to feelings of isolation and sadness. Speech and language therapists are experts at helping hospice patients find ways to communicate their thoughts with others — and we provide emotional support along the way.

Clear communication doesn’t always come in the form of speech. Hospice speech therapy helps patients find new ways to express themselves when spoken language is no longer possible. This may include using body language, rudimentary sign language, writing, or electronic aids. And our therapy team works with family members and other caregivers to help them understand changes in their loved one’s communication methods as they evolve over time.

EXPERTISE

The Work of a Speech Therapist

At Traditions Health, our certified speech therapists work one-on-one with each patient. Specific goals might include these or others:

Breathe effectively
Express thoughts and needs
Identify alternate ways to get nutrients
Improve the quality and volume of speech
Maintain muscles needed for safe chewing and swallowing
Organize thoughts to communicate more effectively
Position the body for safe eating and drinking
Speak words in an understandable manner
Stay well hydrated
Understand and improve everyday conversations
Use body language and other ways to communicate

Your speech therapist will coordinate with other members of the hospice care team to advocate for the highest quality of life possible. Speech therapists often recommend changes to the care plan as the patient’s condition progresses.

SERVING 18 STATES IN THE US

Locations Near You.

We understand the importance of having access to health care that meets you where you are. That's why Traditions Health continues to expand across the country to offer access to quality care for those in need. As we expand, we remain committed to the same values on which we were founded – prioritizing patient-focused, compassionate care, while building strong relationships in the communities we serve.

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Our Commitment. Your Comfort.

Members of our hospice speech therapy team provide essential services as part of the whole-body care offered by Traditions Health. Contact us to learn more about our hospice services and how we can support your family with compassionate and high-quality, end-of-life care.

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