Rosemary Gravell

In the 1980s work with elderly people was making up an increasing proportion of the workload of speech therapists, due to the overall increase in the elderly population. At the same time all health professionals, such as nurses working in long-stay wards or nursing homes, had many elderly patients or clients who showed communication difficulties due to general problems such as institutionalization, social skill deficits, poor hearing or dementia. Originally published in 1988, this book provides a practical approach to working with elderly people with speech and communication difficulties. While traditional speech therapy for adults with specific disorders is covered, it focuses primarily upon the ‘indirect’ role of the therapist, working through lay and professional carers, environmental modification and in both hospital and community. The book is likely to appeal principally to speech therapists, but will also interest other professional staff working with elderly people.

In the 1980s work with elderly people was making up an increasing proportion of the workload of speech therapists, due to the overall increase in the elderly population. At the same time all health professionals, such as nurses working in long-stay wards or nursing homes, had many elderly patients or clients who showed communication difficulties due to general problems such as institutionalization, social skill deficits, poor hearing or dementia. Originally published in 1988, this book provides a practical approach to working with elderly people with speech and communication difficulties. While traditional speech therapy for adults with specific disorders is covered, it focuses primarily upon the ‘indirect’ role of the therapist, working through lay and professional carers, environmental modification and in both hospital and community. The book is likely to appeal principally to speech therapists, but will also interest other professional staff working with elderly people.

The impact of head injury on individuals and their families and friends cannot be overestimated. Developments in the acute care of head injured people have meant higher survival rates and increasing numbers being discharged back into the community. These people face a very different future from their previous expectations and, sadly, are often left to cope with very limited, if any, outside help.