Tx:Team turns 40 in 2023!
Founded in 1983, Tx:Team will celebrate a big anniversary in May, 40 years in business. Because it is such a major milestone, we felt we should celebrate this achievement throughout the year.
Thank you to all Tx:Team associates throughout the decades for his or her part in our success.
Meet Carroll Nelligan, President and Chief Operating Officer, and hear her story of her time with Tx:Team:
My speech is fine, why do I need to see a Speech-Language Pathologist?
A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) works with individuals from birth to end of life while focusing on swallowing, voice, communication, and cognitive disorders as well as enhancing speech skills.
An individual may be referred to a SLP because:
A Speech-Language Pathologist aims to enhance an individual’s quality of life to participate in daily activities that require more than just their speech.
May is National Better Hearing and Speech Month, which is an opportunity to raise awareness about not only communication disorders, but also the treatments available.
Millions suffer with brain fog, difficulty eating and drinking, and general speech and language problems – and these issues were only amplified in the years following COVID. These problems can affect a person’s quality of life. Speech Language Pathologists treat a wide range of disorders in both adults and children. With early identification and intervention, clinicians can help to improve communication, increase confidence, and help patients return to the activities and daily life they enjoy.
Many people aren’t aware of how a speech-language pathologist can help.
Speech-Language Pathology, or what is commonly known as Speech Therapy, assesses and treats speech disorders and communication problems. It helps people develop skills like comprehension, clarity, voice, fluency, and sound production. Speech Language Pathologists, or Speech Therapists, can treat childhood speech disorders or adult speech impairments caused by stroke, brain injury or other conditions. Speech-Language Pathologists work with their patients to identify areas for improvement and work to develop each patient’s individual goals.
Speech therapy offers skilled treatment designed to assist and restore speech and language problems caused by illness or injury that may affect:
Does Speech Therapy make a difference?
Adult patients can improve the quality of life with speech therapy after a stroke or traumatic injury as well as those patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease or Alzheimer’s. For children, speech therapy is most successful when started early and practiced at home with a parent or caregiver.
Some of the speech improvements that patients experience are a louder and clearer voice, better speech intelligence, a more natural rate of speech, and more robust facial expressions.
If you or someone you know could benefit from Speech Therapy, find a Speech Language Pathologist in your area. Why? Because communication is important.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, every six minutes someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in the United States.
April is Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Awareness Month and along with the PD Community, we are encouraging everyone to take six minutes in an effort to raise awareness, advance the research, and become knowledgeable of the available treatments for this disease. With someone being diagnosed every six minutes, that totals 90,00 people per year in the United States alone. Let’s be advocates.
Beyond awareness comes treatment. At Tx:Team, we have Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists who are trained and certified in treating patients with PD. One treatment program which has been proven beneficial is the LSVT BIG® and LOUD® Program.
Parkinson’s can impact function in everything a person does at home, at work, and in their community recreational pursuits. The LSVT programs help patients to maintain movement and voice for normal function in everyday life beyond medication and repetitive, non-direct task training exercises utilizing principles of neuroplasticity backed by years of research. It takes all 16 visits (four times per week for four weeks) to achieve carry over so that by the end of one month, patients know how to move BIGGER and be LOUDER all the time.
A unique feature of LSVT BIG® and LOUD® is that it recognizes there is an internal cuing proprioceptive issue in individuals with Parkinson’s such as softer voice and smaller movements, in people that are unable to recognize their deficits the majority of the time.
Patients who have a decline in the amplitude of their movement, voice, posture, and balance in addition to reduced speech intelligibility are motivated to participate in all required sessions.
LSVT BIG® and LOUD® assists this patient population in maintaining, enhancing, and slowing progression of Parkinson’s Disease, which in return facilitates their ability to maintain a level of independence with the following skill sets essential for daily living:
If you have any more questions about the LSVT program for BIG® or LOUD®, find a certified therapist in your area or visit this website.
Nidhi, Alita, and Johanna are all experienced therapists in the Outpatient Clinic setting in Frederick, MD. They work collaboratively together to support and treat patients with a variety of neurological diagnoses. Nidhi, Alita, and Johanna enjoy the relationships they foster with their patients, and they love to help them achieve their functional goals.
Nidhi Talpade, PT, DPT, BIG® Certified
Alita Borkar, MA, OTRL, BIG® Certified
Johanna Ebbs, MS, CCC-SLP, LOUD® Certified.
Tx:Team turns 40 in 2023!
Founded in 1983, Tx:Team will celebrate a big anniversary in May, 40 years in business. Because it is such a major milestone, we felt we should celebrate this achievement throughout the year.
Thank you to all Tx:Team associates throughout the decades for his or her part in our success.
Meet Scott Benedict, Chief Executive Officer, and hear his story of his time with Tx:Team:
Typically, most places will list departments in alphabetical order; however, not in the therapy world.
Though “O” alphabetically comes before “P,” you will rarely see Occupational Therapy before Physical Therapy. I believe this is because the majority of the public is more aware of what PT actually is. I have jokingly referred to OT as being the “other” therapy. I get so excited when I meet someone who actually understands what OT is and what I do.
I’m a bit jealous that my fellow PTs don’t have to constantly explain what they do or feel the need to justify the benefits of their services. The name itself, occupational therapy, really doesn’t give the average person a good idea of what OT encompasses. I have worked in the geriatric setting for over 25 years and have heard it all. “Oh, honey, I’m retired. I don’t need you.” Well, actually you do, and let me tell you why!
OT focuses on the whole person with the ultimate goal of maximizing a person’s independence. Trying to get someone to view their occupation of living, what does that entail? What physical aspects (mobility, vision, limited ROM, or neurological movements) are preventing someone from being more independent? What cognitive aspects (STM deficits, dementia, perceptual deficits) are holding them back? Are there any environmental factors, such as a cluttered area, poor spacing, fall hazards, or ergonomics? There are so many things that we do on a daily basis that we automatically perform. However, when someone is sick or injured, that is when these “occupations” get challenged.
As occupational therapists, it is our job to help identify the factors that limit our patients to perform their daily routines. Whether that includes simple ADLs, figuring out ways for the patient to continue employment, or problem solving ways to continue to pursue activities of interest. To be a part of someone’s success in improving their independence and quality of life is one of the reasons that I love being an OT.
Sometimes all it takes are adaptations to make life easier. Use of adapted equipment, modifying the environment, and compensatory strategies are all techniques specific to OTs. Having been in the assisted living/independent living setting for almost four years now, I have been able to grow relationships with my clients and have enjoyed watching them in their daily occupations. Even after discharge from OT, it is great to be able to engage with them and make sure they are succeeding. However, it is also great to be able to observe any regressions and to help them identify when therapy may be warranted again.
I love it when I receive referrals from my former clients regarding other residents. Not only did I help one person improve, that person is now more aware of what OT is and looks out for others. I feel like I am doing my best to let others know what OT is and how it can potentially improve someone’s independence and quality of life. Now, if only I can get the “O” to come before the “P.” Okay, okay….now that’s just crazy talk!
Kate Beaty, OTR, is an Occupational Therapist in the Senior Living setting for Tx:Team. She has spent the majority of her career in the geriatric setting, whether in nursing homes, assisted livings or sub-acute rehabilitation. She really enjoys the relationships that she fosters with her clients and loves to help them achieve their functional goals.
What is low vision?
Low vision is permanent vision loss from an eye disease or condition that cannot be corrected by standard treatments like glasses or contacts, medications, or surgery. With impaired vision, it becomes very difficult to complete tasks such as reading, navigating home and community environments, managing medications, managing calendars and appointments, managing finances, preparing meals and snacks, driving, recognizing faces for social participation, using household appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, and microwaves, and so much more.
What can one do to prevent low vision?
The best way to prevent low vision is to have routine checkups with an optometrist or ophthalmologist and, if diagnosed with an eye condition, adhere to the prescribed care plan laid out by the doctor. The three most prevalent conditions resulting in low vision are macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. If one has a family history of eye conditions, it is crucial to have routine eye exams. It is also important to manage your health conditions, for example, controlling blood sugar is extremely important in preventing diabetic retinopathy. Once these eye conditions are present, they cannot be reversed, but further impairment can be prevented. This is why it is so important to follow the doctor’s instructions once diagnosed with an eye disease.
How can therapy help?
Since low vision is permanent, occupational therapists are not able to restore lost vision, but we can help those with low vision best utilize their remaining vision to be as successful and independent as possible. Occupational therapists perform home assessments to identify potential hazards and make appropriate modifications for safety and success. Some examples include adjusting lighting, removing clutter, and adding a contrasting color to doorways, steps, or thresholds. Occupational therapists may also modify the task, teach new skills, and utilize technology to improve daily function. Visual scanning and tracking techniques may be taught to better utilize remaining vision or, one may be introduced to adaptive tools and technology.
Each condition resulting in low vision impacts the visual field differently and have their own unique set of challenges. Occupational Therapists understand these conditions and how they impact the visual field. Occupational Therapists combine this knowledge with an individualized approach in order to provide training and modification in the client’s home and immediate surrounding community for optimal performance of the activities that are meaningful to the client.
Anna Pung, OTR is an Occupational Therapist in the Senior Living setting. She has a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Mississippi State University. Shespecializes in low vision, dementia, fall prevention, orthopedics, and neuro rehab. Anna is very passionate about working with individuals throughout the aging process to maintain independence and high quality of life.
Tx:Team turns 40 in 2023!
Founded in 1983, Tx:Team will celebrate a big anniversary in May, 40 years in business. Because it is such a major milestone, we felt we should celebrate this achievement throughout the year.
Thank you to all Tx:Team associates throughout the decades for his or her part in our success.
Meet Bob Haan, Vice President of Clinical Operations and Quality, and hear his story of his time with Tx:Team:
Low vision can cause difficulty in seeing detailed letters and numbers when reading, recognizing the slope of a curb, steps, or facial features, and distinguishing between similar colors, such as black and blue. Adults who have one of these problems may have trouble maintaining their independence and completing typical day-to-day activities.
Occupational Therapists can help people with low vision to continue living in their own homes and complete daily tasks, such as showering, dressing, cooking, grocery shopping, managing finances, and getting around in the community.
How can an Occupational Therapist help?
OTs will evaluate a person’s environment at work and at home to determine how it can be altered to make the most out of a person’s remaining vision.
What can friends and family or a person with low vision do?
Prevention of onsite work injuries is the key to keeping employees safe, healthy, and productive. In the manufacturing setting, common injuries include overuse or repetitive injuries and overexertion injuries often associated with lifting. Education and vigilance helps to decrease these injuries.
Lifting using proper body mechanics should be taught during the orientation process along with different ways the manufacturer has provided to reduce or avoid lifting in the first place. Many employers provide high-low tables, pallet jacks, and rollers to decrease pushing and pulling force required along with other tools to reduce strain. An on-site physical therapist can provide the lifting education in tandem with the employer providing information on lifting or force reduction tools provided by the company.
Training team leaders to watch for repetitive use injuries can also go a long way to keeping employees pain-free and on the job. When an employee is bending or reaching in the same way over and over again, hour after hour, this can lead to injury. Training the leaders to recognize the signs of overuse and alert the employee of alternate ways to complete the task can decrease the repetitive strain on muscles and joints. An example could be alternating which arm reaches for a particular part or shifting body weight from one foot to the other every few minutes for stationary tasks. A physical therapist can provide this training to the team leaders, help brainstorm ideas for reducing the strain, provide education, and assist with periodic observations of the task.
Jessica Tharp, PT, MPT is a Physical Therapist in the Employer Based Clinic setting. Jessica received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis. Throughout her career, she has treated a variety of various orthopedic and neurological diagnoses. Jessica has significant experience in treating back and neck pain as well as hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries, including post-surgical rehab of the hip, knee, shoulder, and spine.