Speech and Language Therapy Team

Speech and Language Therapy Team

WHO ARE WE?

The Speech and Language Therapy Team is part of the Clinical Supports and Services Directorate in Ability West and we work closely with our colleagues in the other clinical teams.

We embrace the Irish Associations of SLT’s (IASLT) vision that “Everyone has the right to live well, irrespective of communication or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.”

Connie Madden (SLT) and Catherine
Kelleher Connor
(Person in Charge)

What can we do for you?

Communication:

A Speech and Language Therapist will work with the person supported to develop a method of communication. Speech and Language can support families, carers and staff to understand and assist the person’s way of communication, so that he/she is heard and responded to.

Communication is at the centre of so many things we do every day and is essential for us to live our best lives, to participate and interact with friends and the wider community.

Ability West uses a total and inclusive communication approach. This means that services should use lots of different means of communication, to help each person understand information and to get their individual messages across. A person might communicate using Lámh, visuals, objects, high and low tech augmentative and alternative communication. You can find out more about this at the link at the bottom of the page.

SLTs can can help in Person Centred Planning so that each person can communicate their goals, choices and decisions.

We have a Speech and Language Therapist on the Living my Life Team - this is a unique role working with people moving to self-directed independent living in the community.

Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing:

The Speech and Language Therapy Team can help with Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing difficulties (FEDS). This is also known as Dysphagia. We can assess and support each person to manage their FEDS difficulties.

We work closely with those who know the person best to make sure mealtimes continue to be enjoyable and safe.

Chloe NiChonghaile
Speech and Language Therapist demonstrating a Talking Mat session

This is TD Snap
It’s an Augmentative and Alternative Communication software downloaded to iPad.

How we work

We work together with each person, and also work closely with their family, staff team, Communication Champions, the multi-disciplinary team and the wider community.

We can arrange to visit each person in their Ability West homes, day services and family homes in order to offer support for all communication and Feeding, Eating, Drinking, Swallowing skills.

We work with the wider team and community to reduce communication barriers in a person’s environment and to promote the use of a Total and Inclusive Communication approach.

Training others to be responsive communication partners and mealtime facilitators is a big part of what we do.

We support the values which underpin all Ability West services and activities and promoting the rights of people who use the services.