Great Speech Launches Program Offering Individual and Group Therapy for Patients with Long COVID-19

HOLLYWOOD, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Great Speech, a pioneer and leader in virtual speech therapy, announces a new program including individual and group therapy to effectively help the estimated 7.7 million to 23 million people in the U.S. suffering with long COVID conditions. These conditions, which may last up to months or years, include cognitive impairment, brain fog, or speech and language difficulties. Speech and language group therapy in addition to individual therapy can help patients who are affected by long COVID to confidently return to work, handle daily life and resume an active lifestyle. Virtual speech therapy provides the added benefits of allowing people to get help from their homes, eliminating travel to an off-site brick-and-mortar facility and minimizing opportunities for viral transmission.

“These patients typically begin to self-isolate, can become depressed and/or lonely. Our program creates access to peer support and assures them they aren’t alone. Great Speech’s licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with patients to help them regain communication skills, improve confidence and overcome other potential challenges resulting from long COVID.”

Avivit Ben-Aharon M.S. Ed, M.A. CCC-SLP, Founder and Clinical Director, Great Speech, says, “These patients typically begin to self-isolate, can become depressed and/or lonely. Our program creates access to peer support and assures them they aren’t alone. Great Speech’s licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with patients to help them regain communication skills, improve confidence and overcome other potential challenges resulting from long COVID.”

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) emphasizes the need for and value of services provided by SLPs as a critical point in the recovery and bringing back normalcy to our world. Companies benefit when their employees improve and are able to get back to work as a result of speech therapy. Strategies that may help long COVID patients include:

• Spaced Retrieval: Patients practice recall and use of relevant information over increasingly long intervals of time.
• Life Participation Approach: Patients work with their speech therapist to design a treatment protocol with long-term life goal touchpoints that are relevant and meaningful to them.
• Melodic Intonation Therapy: Patients who have difficulty speaking can sometimes sing their speech. Studies have demonstrated that music memories and ability are governed by a dedicated brain area separate from other functions.
• Script Training: Patients work with their therapist to develop scripts for familiar and regular routines in their life which gradually improves sentence formation, rate of speech and confidence.
• Semantic Feature Analysis Treatment: This therapy, typically involving auditory and visual cueing, helps patients improve their ability to recall and use naming abilities.
• Word Retrieval Cueing Strategies: Patients with brain fog often have difficulty recalling the correct word they want to say. Association and sound cues are incorporated to aid such patients.

For more information, visit https://www.greatspeech.com/covid-recovery/.

About Great Speech Inc.

Great Speech is the pioneer and recognized leader in virtual speech therapy, and since 2014 has delivered convenient, specialized services to clients anytime, anywhere. Its innovative approach leverages technology to match credentialed therapists with children, adults and seniors who need and seek better speech communication. Proud recipient of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification. www.greatspeech.com