An assessment starts before we meet the individual, as the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) will review any relevant medical reports that were provided beforehand. 

During the first meeting, the SLP will confirm the details of the stroke/injury and ask questions about what treatment has already been provided. After a casual conversation to assess general skills, the SLP may continue with an informal assessment or use a standardized test to evaluate different areas (e.g. social skills, memory, behaviour and attention, understanding of language, verbal expression, speech articulation, fluency, reading and writing).

Depending on the client's preferences, the assessment can be completed in one session with an overview of all areas, or we can spread it out across two assessment sessions. 

The number of therapy sessions recommended will be personalized to each client and will also depend on factors like availability and finances. In the first year after a stroke, therapy is generally recommended more frequently (1-3 times a week). When more than one year has passed since the stroke, the frequency of sessions will depend on the goals. 

Therapy can help with:

• Improving communication with family members using picture boards, communication apps, and strategic question asking

• Improving patient's verbal expression, speech and understanding of language

• Functional communication to help the individual thrive in their daily activities

• Working together with team members involved in the client’s life