Speech Language Therapy - Community

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, community speech-language therapists provide assessment and intervention for patients with communication and or swallowing difficulties. Interventions are patient centred and are aimed at working towards patient and carer / whanau needs and goals.

Interventions include:

• providing swallowing and communication assessment, and advice
• rehabilitation programmes aimed at achieving their desired level of independence, social participation and wellbeing within their environment
• supporting patients in finding ways to compensate for and adapt to their changing communication and swallowing status associated with their medical condition e.g. progressive neurological disorders

   
Community speech-language therapists will visit people in their homes, private hospital / rest home or in a community clinic.

Communication and swallowing problems can be caused by lots of health issues including:

• stroke
• brain injury
• degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, and motor-neurone disease
• respiratory conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and recurrent pneumonia
• cancer of the head, neck, throat, and brain

Common Conditions

• aphasia (also referred to as dysphasia)
• apraxia
• dysarthria
• dysphagia

Locations

• Te Whare Karaka
  Ph (09) 486 8945 ext 43222
  Monday - Friday: 8.00am - 4.30pm, except on public holidays
• Waitakere Hospital
  Ph (09) 486 8945 ext 43222
  Monday - Friday: 8.00am - 4.30pm, except on public holidays
• Hibiscus Coast Community Health Centre 
  Ph (09) 486 8945 ext 43222
  Monday - Friday: 8.00am - 4.30pm, except on public holidays