Improving Effective Communication
Communication is essential for both physical and emotional wellbeing. When communication is impaired, patients can lose the ability to work, call for help, participate in their medical care, connect and communicate with others, express their desires and needs, as well as many other essential life activities. These losses are devastating and often lead to depression, isolation, poor and in accurate medical treatment, and a decreased quality of life.
A variety of different diseases and conditions can cause communication difficulties, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, MS, a stroke, and the use of a ventilator.Regardless of the cause, It is important to maximize communication ability by increasing the language and speech skills of the patient, utilizing communication strategies and implementing communication aides.
Therapy should be functional and seek to maximize language and speech in a way that increases communication in daily activities. Therefore, it is often best to incorporate multiple modalities and methods to reflect the differing communication environments and partners present in everyday life. Additionally,improving communication in this way is not only helpful for everyday living,but also helps create a virtuous cycle; improved communication ability allows for increased, less frustrating communication that, in turn, serves as a language and or speech exercise that further improves skills.
Below,there are some general strategies that can help make communication easier .However, not all these strategies work for everyone, and it is important to work with a speech therapist to create personalized plans to improve communication. Therapy will include exercise programs, communication strategies, communication aids, and cueing strategies.
Strategies
- Make your face visible when speaking.
- Use yes & no questions.
- create a quiet environment.
- Use multiple choice questions.
- Speak slowly.
- Use visual cues, such as objects, pictures, words, and gestures
- Allow time for responses.
- Be patient.
- Clarify throughout the conversation.
Communication aids, both electronic and non-electronic, help increase receptive and expressive language and accuracy of verbal speech. Depending on the communication context and patients’ communication ability, aides may be modified to maximize communication potential.
Communication aids, both electronic and non-electronic, help increase receptive and expressive language and accuracy of verbal speech. Depending on the communication context and patients’ communication ability, aides may be modified to maximize communication potential.
Non electronic communication aids include pictures and written words, while electronic devices provide verbal speech output. Electronic aids enable patients to communicate in scenarios where pictures and words would not suffice, such as communicating by phone, calling someone from a different room, communicating with children or people that cannot read, and accessing language without having the fine motor skills necessary to use a communication book or communication board, as portrayed below.
Tobi-dynovox and Lingraphica are two electronic, communication device companies that I often recommend for adults with communication deficits. Electronic devices may allow patients to use the gaze of their eye to select their desired phrases and words, make phone calls, send text messages, and call for help.
A variety of different skills and needs must be considered when choosing the best device based on each patient’s needs. As I note above, it is generally best for patients to use different modalities, as the varying scenarios of everyday life require different modalities. Importantly, even if patients do have the ability to speak, communication devices may be helpful, and even essential, for improving communication and quality of life. Therefore, it is important to work with a speech therapist to choose the most appropriate communication device, aides, and or strategies to ensure that there is as small a gap as possible between what a patient would like to say and what they can communicate.
