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Speech Language Pathology
Clinical Services List
The certified speech and
language professionals at Cayuga Medical Center offer inpatient therapy in
acute care units and on the Medical Rehabilitation Unit, in addition to seeing
outpatients. We help patients of all ages who have speech or language
disorders, as well as people with swallowing difficulties that result from
stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other medical conditions such as cancer. Our speech therapists are
certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. To learn
more about the ways in which we can help you, just click on the links below. ●
Regaining speech after stroke ●
Dramatic gains for Parkinson’s
patients ●
Accent modification for better understanding ●
Additional areas of expertise We understand that the
ability to speak – indeed, to communicate – is an intricate process involving
voice, language, and thought. It’s a much more complicated process than just
the act of speaking: Voice is the sound we make to speak;
speech is formulated into words; and language is the formulation of words into
something meaningful. Without all three components, communication is
problematic. In the Medical
Rehabilitation Unit, speech-language therapists spend most of their time
working on communication skills in the acute phase of neurological recovery to
give patients the strategies to communicate and understand. After patients are
discharged from the medical center, we continue to see them on an outpatient
basis, providing a continuum of care in the rehabilitation process. Difficulties in swallowing
are often associated with neurological problems. We have expertise in helping
patients with swallowing problems due to progressive neurological disease, head
injuries, stroke, or as a result of head and neck cancer. We can help you with
swallowing techniques and strategies, including altering diet consistencies. One of the most difficult
aspects of Parkinson’s disease is its impact on a person’s ability to
communicate. Because Parkinson’s affects the muscles in the throat and larynx,
speech becomes quieter, softer, more breathy, and less intelligible. It becomes
difficult to articulate and the voice drops into a monotone. Many people with
Parkinson’s choose to retire from their jobs because it becomes increasingly
difficult to be understood. They often become isolated. Our speech-language
therapists use the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment for Parkinson’s disease, which
has proven to be a very effective approach to speech treatment. We have had
people come through this program at the age of 90 who have made wonderful
progress and regained significant vocal quality. With a referral from your
doctor, we can evaluate you to determine if you are an appropriate candidate
for this therapy. Our accent modification
program helps foreign-born residents and visitors refine their pronunciation of
English, to enhance business, professional, and social skills. If you feel you
are having trouble being understood by your students or colleagues, we can help
you achieve clear, effective communication. We offer two Compton P-ESL
accent modification programs (7 weeks and 13 weeks in length), which provide
you with: ● personal
analysis of your speech patterns ●
identification
of areas for concentration ●
classroom
and individual practice ●
emphasis
on pronunciation and voice projection for conversation and presentations The benefits participants
derive from our Accent Modification Program include: ● improved
speech clarity ●
improved
pronunciation of vocabulary specific to their work ●
increased
self confidence for oral presentations ●
a
significant change in accent In our outpatient
practice, we treat patients on referral with voice disorders, helping them to
learn strategies and behaviors to achieve the best voice possible. In addition,
we work with patients who have suffered cognitive linguistic problems as a
result of traumatic brain injury or stroke. We also participate in the medical
center’s Cleft Palate and Facial Deformities Team. |
