Does this sound familiar?
- “I’m not able to find my words as well”
- “It takes me longer to understand things”
- “I feel like I can’t hear people”
- “My family doesn’t understand what I’m saying”
- “I can’t focus when I read”
- “I’m getting confused more easily”
- “I don’t remember where I put things”
If you have ever said any of these things, you may need to see a Speech Therapist.
Many individuals in the health fields may see the role of a Speech Therapist as primarily working with small kids who can’t say their ‘R’ sounds or helping those who may have a stutter.
But there is another branch of speech therapy that often gets overlooked called Cognitive Rehabilitation.
Cognitive Rehabilitation is a specialty area within the scope of speech language pathology that primarily works with individuals with some kind of neurological impairment. These impairments can be due to traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion (a mild traumatic brain injury), stroke or dementia.
What is Cognitive Rehabilitation?
- Cognitive Rehabilitation, also known as Cognitive Remedial Therapy, can be conducted by:
- Speech Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Neuropsychologists.
Cognitive Rehabilitation is an evidence-based treatment to improve injury related deficits including, but not limited to:
- Difficulties with memory
- Attention
- Processing speed
- Organization
- Emotional regulation
- Problem solving
- Communication
Individual treatment includes compensatory strategy development, such as using lists or reminders to help take medication appropriately and remember appointments, targeting higher level cognitive processes such as problem solving, organization and other executive functioning skills, and promoting neuroplasticity through therapeutic exercises.
Overall, the goals of treatment are to improve daily functioning and maximize quality of life that may have changed due to an injury, stroke, or onset of dementia.
Recovery is Possible
A brain injury or stroke should not define your life or hold you back.
There are Speech Language Pathologists that have the knowledge and the passion to help you continue to heal, support your recovery and improve your overall well-being.
Learn More
If you or a loved one feel you might benefit from Cognitive Rehabilitation, contact the Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center clinic at (716) 204-8680 to schedule an appointment.
Jess has been a Speech Language Pathologist specializing in Brain Injury and Cognitive Rehabilitation for over twenty years. She started working at Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center in 2017 and became the first SLP in Western New York to become a Certified Brain Injury Specialist in 2019.
