Focus on Geriatric and Adult Services

Therapy Exchange

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:12:00 GMT

This week, the Occupational Therapists and I have been raiding each other's supplies, in an effort to try some new activities and to keep from repeating tasks over and over with the same patients. I have borrowed several tossing games that the OTs use...(read more)

Better Speech and Hearing Month

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:59:00 GMT

In May, I usually try to think up some new and creative ways to celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month. ASHA, of course, provides resources here . This year, I have to admit that I am sort of struggling to come up with something creative and new to...(read more)

News Events

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:53:00 GMT

Family members and staff should carefully consider what news is brought to patients, and how it is presented. This does not mean that news should be withheld; it does mean that the resident's ability to process and comprehend events and situations should...(read more)

Model Appropriate Behavior

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:54:00 GMT

The week of April 15, 2013, was stressful, tragic and emotional to most people at some level, beginning with the bombs at the Boston Marathon, and the search for the suspects in Boston, as well as the explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. As...(read more)

Word Searches

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:25:00 GMT

Word searches are a versatile activity for patients of various levels and abilities. I use them almost daily for expressive and receptive language skills, attention, errors awareness, reasoning, following directions, and visual scanning/ tracking. Many...(read more)

Reducing Reevaluations

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:53:00 GMT

While some patients in skilled nursing facilities are there for short-term stays in order to receive various therapy and nursing services, others will remain with us for months, years, or possibly for the rest of their lives. We expect to see some patients...(read more)

Strengths of the Elderly

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:58:00 GMT

One of the more frequent questions I get about working in a skilled nursing facility is, "Isn't it depressing (or sad, etc)?" To be honest, on some days it can be, if we choose to focus on only certain parts of our jobs there. People are sick, and often...(read more)

Struggling with Language

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:16:00 GMT

We are all on a journey. I left for a week's vacation in Istanbul, and while I was there, I heard the news that a fellow SLP and ADVANCE blogger passed away. Kathie Harrington was a dedicated professional whose work in our field was greatly appreciated....(read more)

What Do You Do?

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:46:00 GMT

Almost every Speech-Language Pathologists whom I have met across every setting has one or more stories of misconceptions about what SLPs as professionals do, from family demands to the expectations of other professionals and staff. It can humorous, and...(read more)

COPD and Cognition

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:54:00 GMT

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is a prevalent diagnosis in patients admitted to nursing homes. The Global Initiative for COPD , or GOLD, defines COPD as a disease that: is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible;...(read more)

The Power of Music

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:47:00 GMT

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. - Victor Hugo Let me preface this week's blog post by stating that I am not a music therapist, and that more information about music therapy can be found here . I do...(read more)

Transitioning to LTC, Part 3

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:14:00 GMT

Here are some final ideas help with the transitioning patient with more severe dementia into a new living environment: Depending on the patient's level of function, all of the suggestions previously given for higher level patients should be considered...(read more)

Transitioning to LTC, Part 2

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:16:00 GMT

People who are experiencing obvious deficits related dementia or other conditions require more assistance during even simple changes in daily routines, so it is vital to either prepare ahead of time, or to start putting strategies in place as soon as...(read more)

Transitioning to LTC, Part 1

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:40:00 GMT

One of the more difficult experiences a family faces is choosing to place a loved one in a Skilled Nursing Facility for long-term care. SLPs in long-term care meet families almost daily who are experiencing worry, fear, guilt, anxiety, and possibly even...(read more)

Aphasia Versus Dementia

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:28:00 GMT

In long term care, fluent aphasia is often mistaken for cognitive-deficits associated with dementia because the two disorders share many common characteristics. In fact, aphasia and other communication problems are commonly present in various types of...(read more)