September is World Alzheimer's Month, so let's talk about dementia, a part of speech therapy where our job can look a little different.

A lot of cognitive therapy is aimed at a patient who is recovering or stable. With dementia, the trajectory changes – memory and language will continue to decline.

As a speech therapist, our primary goal becomes supporting identity, connection, and orientation for as long as possible. ❤️

Framework for Dementia in Speech Therapy

Meet the person where they are, protect their dignity, and keep them connected.

🗒️ External supports. Memory aids (e.g. a calendar, a daily schedule, a visitor log, a labeled photo album) can help your patient feel oriented and secure.

👥 Family training. The SLP's role centers on communication training, memory-aid coaching, and mealtime/dysphagia guidance. This empowers loved ones and helps support carryover.

🎯 Functional targets. Spaced retrieval and errorless learning can be used to train specific functional information – more on spaced retrieval next week! 👀

Memory Journals

One of the most practical, evidence-backed tools is also one of the simplest: a memory journal.

Research shows that personalized memory books measurably improve conversation. People make more on-topic, factual statements and fewer confused, unintelligible, or repetitive ones. This effect holds even in advanced dementia (Andrews-Salvia et al. 2003).

What to include:

• Identity & orientation: name, birthday, where they live, contact info, important people
• Conversation starters: favorite topics, past jobs, trips, hobbies
• Daily structure: a daily routine, today's plan, a written log for visitors
• Safety: critical health information and emergency contacts

💡 Clinical Tip: Effects are strongest when communication partners (family, medical staff, nursing assistants, volunteers) are trained to use the memory journal and reinforce its use over time.

To make it easy, you'll find a ready-to-go Memory Journal in the Virtual Rehab Center.

Print it out, personalize it with your patient, and start using it today.

Full access – free for 21 days. Cancel anytime in one click.

Yes, speech therapy looks different for patients with dementia. But we can help them stay connected, understood, and themselves for longer. And for these patients and their families, that's everything. ❤️

All the best,
​-Megan

P.S. Check out this PDF with the full list of treatments and handouts in the Virtual Rehab Center.

P.P.S. A quick reminder about the free, online course: "Understanding Dementia" offered by the University of Tasmania – featured in our most recent Resource Roundup. It's great for clinicians and care partners.