Cognitive communication impairments may occur after a stroke, brain injury, brain tumor or with degenerative neurological disorders (brain diseases that get worse over time). These impairments may impact a person’s memory, attention and thinking skills. Cognitive communication therapy begins with an assessment of cognitive skills and collaboration with the client/family to set goals. The treatment sessions provide interactions, functional practice and appropriate strategy use to improve problem solving, memory and attention. Therapy is client centered working with clients/families to develop goal areas that improve quality of life.

Characteristics of cognitive communication impairments:

• Difficulty initiating, organizing and planning
• Impairment with orientation to person, place or time
• Memory problems
• Unable to problem solve everyday tasks (safety, bill paying, cooking etc.)
• Poor judgement or safety awareness
• Difficulty with attention or focusing on tasks
• Unable to multitask
• Word finding issues
• Difficulty with abstract language and reasoning skills
• Poor insight to deficits