Focus on Geriatric and Adult Services : diseases and disorders

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)

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)

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)

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 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)

Hiatal Hernias

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:17:00 GMT

Hiatal hernia is a diagnosis commonly seen by SLPs in adult and geriatric settings, and can often be hidden by other complaints and symptoms of disorders that affect swallowing, leading to the hiatal hernia being undiagnosed. A hiatal hernia specifically...(read more)

Treating the Dementia Patient at Mealtime, Part 4

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Caregivers often become quite upset over a loved one's behaviors during meals. A family might think that a relative would love to visit a favorite restaurant, only to witness a catastrophic reaction as the person with dementia is faced with a change in...(read more)

Treating the Dementia Patient at Meal Time, Part 2

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 13:11:00 GMT

Here is another installment in dining strategies for people with dementia. I think the educated and motivated clinician can provide caregivers with many options to use in order to promote the patient's ability to dine as independently as possible, while...(read more)

Treating the Dementia Patient at Meal Time, Part 1

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:18:00 GMT

Many patients with dementia are described by family and caregivers as having decreased appetites or as having lost interest in meals. Many of these same patients will continue to eat sweets, snacks, or consume beverages, but will not sit for long enough...(read more)

Choosing Diets

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:05:00 GMT

In the SNF, therapists often get accustomed to choosing pureed, mechanical soft, or regular diet textures. At times, I request a mechanical soft meal with pureed meats, and some facilities ask us to specify mechanical soft with chopped meats or mechanical...(read more)

Patient Input

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:20:00 GMT

Yesterday I evaluated a patient; we'll call him Mr. E. The patient presented with mild cognitive deficits per results of the Brief Cognitive Rating Scale and Global Deterioration Scale, as well as the SLUMS. Mr. E. also exhibited mild oral stage swallow...(read more)

Clinical Reasoning

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:15:00 GMT

As therapists, we must rely on our clinical reasoning to direct and guide our treatment. These reasoning skills are thought processes based on knowledge and experience with the underlying impairments and the treatment process. We must understand the nature...(read more)

Short-Term Goals

Jennifer Kay-Williams — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:25:00 GMT

Short-term goals are our steps toward long-term goals and should be seen as milestones that we can use to help the patient to reach along the way to attaining a functional outcome. Therapists identify skills to target as short-term goals that can be learned...(read more)