Speech therapy may be needed for speech or swallowing impairments in adults caused by injury or illness, such as stroke or brain injury. Patients may also benefit from speech therapy if needing supplemental oxygen die to respiratory difficulties.
There are several speech and language disorders that can be treated with speech therapy:
- Fluency disorders – Affects the flow, speed and rhythm of speech.
- Resonance disorders – When a blockage or obstruction of regular airflow in the nasal or oral cavities alters the vibrations responsible for voice quality.
- Express disorders – Difficulty conveying or expressing information.
- Cognitive-Communication disorders – Difficulty communicating because of an injury to the part of the brain that controls your ability to think is referred to as cognitive-communication disorder.
- Aphasia – Acquired communication disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak and understand others.
- Dysarthria – Characterized by slow or slurred speech due to a weakness or inability to control the muscles used for speech.
- Dysphagia – A swallowing disorder involving the oral, pharynx, esophagus, or gastroesophageal junction.
- Breathing Exercises – Breathing techniques and exercising to promote increase of effective aeration of the lungs.
To receive home health care services, a physician (often the individual’s attending physician or specialist) must make a referral for care. In order to be eligible, a patient must meet these requirements:
- Be under the care of a physician who orders home health services
- Meet the definition of ‘homebound’ / taxing effort to leave home
- Require skilled health care services on an intermittent basis
Most insurance plans cover all or part of home health care, just as with other hospital and medical services.
Guardian accepts self-pay for patients who do not qualify for insurance coverage and offer patient payment plans.
Patients and their families can save considerably by choosing home health care over long-term hospitalization or a skilled nursing facility.
Services are provided in the setting that the patient calls home, which may be their private residence or that of a loved one.
