Description of a team approach to the rehabilitation of the laryngectomized speaker.
This article describes the multi-disciplinary approach to rehabilitation of the laryngectomee followed by the Michigan Cancer Foundation-Wayne State University Laryngectomee Clinic. The program serves a patient population in excess of 100 each year in a total rehabilitation paradigm. The rehabilitation effort centers around an intensive speech rehabilitation program encompassing as much as 10 hours of speech therapy per week. This effort is supplemented by a professional staff including a psychologist, social work staff, audiologist, public health nurse, vocational rehabilitation specialist, and atrained laryngectomized esophageal speech teacher. The contribution of each member of the team and the benefits of a unified approach are described.
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011584:Psychology; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D012046:Rehabilitation; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012947:Social Work; D013070:Speech Therapy; D013072:Speech, Esophageal