Cognition refers to the brain’s ability to remember, process information, gain knowledge, solve problems, manage daily tasks, be aware, follow a routine/sequence, and so much more. Following are some common causes of cognitive impairments:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

• Stroke

• Alzheimer’s Disease

• Brain tumor

• Chronic Diseases

The above list is not exhaustive. Speech therapy can help individuals with cognitive impairments identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. A thorough evaluation will be completed. It is typically recommended that a caregiver be present to help with providing a case history. Your speech therapist will then create a plan of care to include rehabilitation and/or compensatory goals. This means that in some cases the goal of therapy will be to improve cognitive skills. In other cases, the goal will be to establish compensatory strategies that will help the client complete activities of daily living (ADLs). Goals are determined based on the client’s performance on a cognitive assessment, case history, observations, and more. Therapy for cognitive impairment is highly individualized based on severity of the impairment and the client’s specific wants and needs.