In our continued tribute to Better Speech and Hearing Month, it seems only fitting to recognize that Speech-Language Therapists are masters at being flexible in designing individual services for their clients as well as the location for which these services are delivered.
Ellen’s flexibility was outstanding when she delivered speech services in her client’s home…….which was residence to more than 25 cats…. all of which were “Range Free”. Being ‘range free’ means no rules or expectations. Let that sink in for a moment, you know it did….straight through the carpeting! It’s safe to say, Ellen’s been the cat’s meow for quite some time!
Early in VernaAnn’s career, she would travel to 8 different Amish farms in Lancaster, PA. Be it that she was ‘English’ these Amish families would not allow her in their homes to deliver speech-language services to their children. This did not deter VernaAnn from traveling to these farms every week, where she delivered services on the front porches from August to November!!! Eventually, VernaAnn gained the trust of these families and was welcomed her into their community…. and homes for therapy!
Elizabeth hasn’t had the experience of delivering speech services in a strange place where I worked, however her first job was in a very diverse school in Chicago. She had a group of 3 boys that focused on social skills. While this seems like a pretty normal occurence for a school speech therapist, the fact that the boys’ native languages were Urdu, Bengali, and Polish made service delivery a little different. Something is to be said for the universal language of charades!
One would not think that the great outdoors and Speech Therapy are a mix. Gina, however is an expert in this combination. One summer she would provide therapy services a girl while she was at a day camp in the MetroParks. There was nowhere to sit, so we walked a little way to a picnic table in the middle of a very woodsy area. Suffice it to say mosquitoes, bees, 90 degree weather, and speech therapy do not mix!
In Mary’s experience-rich career, she has delivered services in a myriad of locations. None of which are the ideal location you read about in the college textbooks. Mary has delivered speech services under a stairway – no distraction there; in the basement of a century old building next to the boiler – so quiet and acoustically perfect (NOT!); in a parking lot – not that’s what you call fast service; on-line – because, technology and of course the proverbial “speech closet – which is the smallest place in a school where everyone who enters describes it as ‘cozy’. Rest assured in a shoe box or the Taj Mah Hall Mary’s speech services were delivered with the utmost quality!
Have wheels, will travel! Speech-therapy knows no vacation. Ellery has delivered speech services on the open road. Actually, in the backseat of a 12 hour ride to North Carolina. You might consider bringing your speech-therapist on vacation, we are pretty sure that being the Aunt of this adorable client might have had a little something to do with Ellery’s dedication.
Wendi has experienced the ups and downs of delivering speech services…..on a trampoline of course! Co-treating with a Physical Therapist resulted Wendi’s need for some creative therapy techniques. Wendi gave new meaning to bouncing right along!
No weather or location or animal or language can keep these dedicated women from doing their jobs… delivering amazing speech-language therapy services!
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech Therapy
