Older age is swamped with several health problems that make life even harder for the elderly. You won’t be able to provide adequate care for your loved ones all the time. You will probably be busy with your professional life and keeping an eye out for your loved ones is not always easy. That is one of the reasons why people are opting for nursing homes.
The main advantage of nursing centers is that they provide several therapies for their residents that will make their elderly life much easier. One such therapy is speech therapy and it is very important for seniors because being able to communicate is very important at any age.
Speech therapy is recommended for seniors in several situations. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Dementia
Dementia is a very common health condition among people of older age. People suffering from dementia often undergo speech therapy because it will help to preserve the brain function that is associated with communication. With the help of speech therapy, your loved ones will address the cognitive aspects of communication, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving.
Weakened Vocal Cords
As we age, the elasticity of the vocal cords will be reduced and the larynx muscles will become very weak. As a result, people won’t be able to speak or communicate as they usually did. The best way to re-learn how to speak is through speech therapy. It will include several vocal exercises that will facilitate your speaking abilities.
Stroke
The risk of stroke will be higher in older adults and those who experienced stroke often suffer from aphasia. It is a common language impairment that often accompanies stroke. Aphasia will affect the ability of a person to communicate and doctors often recommend speech therapy for treating it. Aphasia is very common among stroke victims and speech therapy will be able to help them.
Improves Ability To Swallow
One of the several health problems among seniors is the diminished ability to swallow because of the weakened muscles. This will increase the risk of choking on food. The speech therapy will make the vocal cord, larynx, and jaw muscles strong and it will eventually improve the swallowing reflex.
Enhances Quality Of Life
To lead a healthy social life, proper communication is very necessary. That is why seniors with speech issues are often facing several health problems and isolation. With speech therapy, their communication skills can be improved and thereby the quality of their life.
The Pasadena Foothill nursing home will provide the best speech therapy for its residents.