Overview
of Services
Bayshore Community Hospital offers comprehensive speech-language and
swallowing pathology services for inpatient and outpatient populations.
Speech therapy goes far beyond such issues as eliminating a lisp. Rather,
these varied services include:
- Aphasia assessment (i.e., communication ability);
- Cognitive skills training;
- Dysphagia treatment (i.e., focused on difficulties with swallowing);
- Dysarthria (i.e., treatment relating to motor speech skills, such as
individuals with slurred speech or physical inability to form words);
- Therapeutic activities and exercises; and
- Self-care and home management.
Bayshore also offers modified barium swallow testing for inpatients and
outpatients. This type of testing helps to diagnose where swallowing
difficulties occur and determine appropriate diets as necessary; it also
is used to compare individuals' swallowing abilities at various stages of
their treatment, thus helping get them back to the least restrictive diet
as quickly as possible.
Who Can Benefit?
Bayshore's speech pathology program is designed to assist adults age 19
and older who are coping with a variety of health issues affecting their
speech, cognitive or swallowing abilities. Patients may include
individuals who:
- Are recovering from strokes;
- Have chronic or degenerative illnesses (e.g., ALS/Lou Gehrig's disease,
Parkinson's disease);
- Are recovering from a head trauma;
- Have a variety of neurological-based issues.
In addition to assisting patients, Bayshore's speech pathology program
also offers help for family members, providing education concerning such
issues as what families can do at home to improve patients'
speech-language and cognitive abilities, and lower their frustration
level.
What to Expect
Once patients obtain a physician referral, their first visit will include
an in-depth initial evaluation that explores such issues as skills in
receptive and expressive communication and cognition, as well as
mechanical abilities including swallowing.
Based on these results, therapists outline short- and long-term goals and
create an individualized plan of care to achieve them. Formal
reevaluations are conducted regularly — every two weeks for inpatients and
every 30 days for outpatients — to assess improvements and adjust the
treatment plan accordingly.
Staff also analyzes any potential barriers to care and focuses not only on
increasing patients' readiness for therapy, but also making any necessary
accommodations based on age-specific, religious and cultural needs.
If patients are unable to communicate in one modality (talking, for
example), our experts will work to provide alternate methods of
communication.
The program is staffed by highly qualified, licensed speech-language
pathologists, all of whom have master's degrees in the field, as well as
certificates of clinical competence in speech and language pathology.
Hours
Speech-language and swallowing pathology services are available five days
a week. Please call for an appointment.
Contact
For more information about the speech pathology program or to arrange for
an appointment, call (732) 739-5955.
Insurance Information
We participate with most insurance carriers.
Treatment in Bayshore's speech pathology program requires a physician's
prescription. As always, check with your physician's office and insurance
company for requirements such as pre-certifications or referrals, as they
may take time to prepare prior to your appointment. Remember to bring your
insurance card with you.
