Elyse Matson, SLP has been with the organization as a treating clinician and SLP Clinical Resource. She has helped SLPs across the entire organization better understand working with dementia patients, navigating the sub-acute population, ensuring CFY supervision experiences are solid, providing education and support of the ThinkThin! initiative, ensuring SLPs are taking vital signs and providing education to ensure accuracy with coding the SLP Casemix. Thank you, Elyse, for all you do to ensure everyone has the support to ensure our patients are being taken care of. Elyse is the best! Read On to see what others say about her...

Without Tamala, we wouldn’t have had the success that we have had. Her support and motivation means the world to me! And let’s not forget about those POSTettes — they are incredible tools and resources that make my role easier. Love you! — Heather Bjernudd, Therapy Resource  

Provo Rehab and Nursing has partnered with Rocky Mountain University over the years to provide clinical rotations for their SLP graduate students. However, RMU found it difficult for all their students to have clinical experiences with trach/vent patients during their practicum. This is where the partnership between Provo and RMU grew because Provo has a sub-acute wing. Our great SLPs, Dot Stuart (L) and Shenise Ford (R), have become RMU adjunct professors, and all the SLPs students have the opportunity to come twice a week to Provo and spend several hours for this needed clinical experience. Thank you, Dot and Shenise, for being a great support to RMU and their SLP student program and for mentoring these future SLPs!   

Cognition and Swallowing are among the common challenges persisting for many Americans after COVID-19. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) can help patients regain health and quality of life. With an estimated 10 to 30% of COVID-19 survivors experiencing a post-COVID-19 syndrome, including brain fog and swallowing difficulties, it is more important than ever to utilize the full range of services provided by SLPs. Read On...

She highlighted that the SLP needs to be committed beyond the patients that they receive orders for on admits and really focus on all residents in their facility to make sure their highest level of function is being attained. Read On...

Here is a highlight on a current patient...Read On

Using the ACA approach, SLP Cassie Johnson took him outside and listened. He was remarking on all of the things around that building that might need repair or upkeep after the long winter. She asked him what he would do, and one thing led to another, and she got some sandpaper and he started working on refinishing a wooden patio table at the facility. Read On...

Susan Roubian, Hannah Allen, Katie Paulsen and Taylor Schweitzer comprise the St. Joseph Villa Speech Therapy team. This program has grown significantly, going from 1-1/2 SLPs to four full-time SLPs over the last two years! These SLPs have made an effort to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams in our facility to change the way we care for our residents and improve their therapy and quality of life. We have been developing programs in the areas of AmpCare, Think Thin!, Oral Care, Speak Out!, Abilities Care, and high-level cognitive groups for our residents with mild cognitive impairment. During our COVID outbreaks, our SLPs played a crucial role in managing change in condition and aspiration risk and significantly changed our outcomes. They are now utilizing The Breather with our Respiratory Muscle Strength Training program to meet the growing needs of post-COVID respiratory insufficiency impacting communication and swallowing.  Read On...

Pictured L to R: Taylor Schweitzer, Hannah Allen, Susan Roubian, Katie Paulsen

Even for patients who are cognitively and physically capable of performing it for themselves, staff support in the form of set-up assistance or verbal reminders has been valuable. Read On...

Here at The Healthcare Resort of Leawood, we have the privilege of serving our LTC and ALF residents, rehab patients, and community outpatients with our urinary incontinence program. We provide training on exercises to improve pelvic floor muscle strength and education on bladder emptying strategies, adequate water intake, and bladder irritant avoidance during the first 30 days. If the patient has not made significant improvement within 30 days, we are able to initiate PENS during weeks five and six per Medicare guidelines. We are then able to provide continued training and PENS with the addition of MFAC during weeks six to 10 to help the patient make as much progress as possible. Read On...

I am so proud of us. Look at these happy faces! In conjunction with nursing home week, we have incorporated fun from around the globe through groups planned for each day! On Hawaii day, we had dancing, bubbles and individual sand castles in addition to mocktails; October Fest was represented with corn-hole, darts, near beer and brats; the Greeks were honored with a rousing game of outdoor water balloon volleyball, jenga and popsicles; and the finale was a throwback to 1950 with a sock hop, rootbeer floats and a drive-in movie where “Grease” was featured. So happy to partner with IDT to make all of these groups for the week come together, truly bringing dignity to long-term care.

Stephanie Marshall, OTR at Glenwood Care Center, recently demonstrated interest in a leadership role. With a recent transition to a new Therapy Program Manager, it was an optimal time to expand her influence in the department and develop her leadership skills on her path to further growth within our organization. She has been given the title of LTC and Outpatient Therapy Manager. Her focus is to take ownership of the LTC program in-house, complete all quarterly screens, initiate authorization requests for HMO B, assist other disciplines in identifying residents to bring on caseload, and facilitate relationships and growth opportunities in ALF and ILF partners.

When someone expresses interest and demonstrates leadership qualities, it’s our duty to assist with that development. Stephanie brings a great sense of passion to LTC, dementia programming, and a holistic approach to treatment plans. Her influence in the department will facilitate increased growth, improve advocacy for therapy for LTC residents, and work to build crucial aspects of leadership.