Joy experienced a change in her voice experiencing a very hoarse quality and having difficulty communicating with other residents and staff. Joy is very social and it was upsetting to her to have difficulty being heard. Natalie, a Powerback SLP, began working with Joy, initiating breath support techniques and working on vocal cord adduction as well as recommending an ENT consult.
At the ENT, Joy was found to have a paralyzed right vocal cord and, after a series of tests, was presented with surgical interventions or continuing Speech Therapy. Joy declined surgery and continued to improve her voice through therapy. Unexpectedly, Joy experienced a stroke, requiring her to go to the hospital. Upon her return, she had left sided facial weakness and a new onset of dysphagia. Joy continued with her SLP team to improve her voice and swallowing function, however, pulmonology suspected that she was experiencing chronic, silent aspiration after an episode of pneumonia.
Joy's care center recently started utilizing Powerback's Swallowing Solutions FEES service and Joy was able to be the very first resident across all of her care center buildings to participate in the instrumental assessment of swallowing. We were able to successfully assess Joy's swallowing and determine that she was not aspirating any consistency and was safe on a regular diet with thin liquids. Joy now is using the Synchrony system to provide biofeedback during labial and buccal strengthening tasks to improve speech and oral clearance. Joy has been excited to participate in all of the new technology and advanced treatment tools available at her care center to further improve her outcome.
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