This session explores the complexities SLPs must account for when treating patients with complicated medical conditions, whose communication, cognitive, and swallowing difficulties are multifactorial. The speaker discusses how SLPs can get a clear understanding of the impact of each medical diagnosis – and the interactions among them – on a patient’s functioning, and how to collaborate with other specialists whose expertise complements SLPs’ efforts. The speaker explores how SLPs can provide thoughtful, systematic scaffolding designed to improve the health and function of damaged tissues/structures and physiologic systems, develop patient independence in the skilled performance of compensations and other behaviors that jump start recovery, and increase a patient’s investment and participation in the process.

This course is a recorded session from the 2021 online conference “Maximizing Outcomes for Medically Complex Patients of All Ages.”

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• explain the importance of aligning the mechanisms of the disease process to the mechanisms of treatment
• organize intervention efforts systematically to address restoration of impaired health of structures/systems, improve skilled performance, and enhance patient investment in the rehabilitation process

What is Included?

You'll get online access to all the course content, including the full video, handouts, and references so you can access it from anywhere!

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.