St. Joseph’s/Candler described on May 21 how outpatient speech therapy can support individuals recovering from a stroke, addressing challenges such as memory loss, difficulty speaking, and swallowing problems.
Outpatient speech therapy is important for patients who have left the hospital but still experience difficulties in daily life after a stroke. These issues may include confusion with words, trouble remembering things, or discomfort while swallowing. The program aims to help people regain independence and improve their quality of life.
“In outpatient speech therapy, my role is to continue to help individuals get back to their baseline, or as close as possible,” said Amanda Kidd, speech language pathologist at St. Joseph’s/Candler. “Outpatient speech therapy is a little longer than inpatient may be, but the goal is to make sure we are not missing anything so you can get back to your life and functioning as usual.” Kidd explained that her work covers more than just speaking: “Speech therapy uses different modalities to help improve vital skills, including communication, cognition and swallowing.”
Kidd sees patients at the Center for Oto-Neurology in Plaza B across from St. Joseph’s Hospital. She begins each case with an evaluation before creating a treatment plan tailored to individual needs—whether addressing aphasia (difficulty understanding or expressing words), memory loss through strategies like using reminders or planners, or difficulty swallowing by first running diagnostic tests and then applying targeted therapies.
The hospital group provides both inpatient and outpatient services for adults recovering from strokes and other conditions affecting communication or swallowing abilities. Outpatient sessions last up to an hour with duration based on patient needs.
“We have a lot of tools to help people get back to feeling as normal as possible,” Kidd said. “The two big things across the board would be regaining independence and improving your quality of life… We want to figure out every possible way we can to get you there.”
St. Joseph’s/Candler supports community health through outreach programs addressing local needs; its facilities include St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital; it has received recognition for nursing excellence through Magnet status; it focuses on providing compassionate healthcare guided by faith; it extends services across more than 30 counties in southeast Georgia and South Carolina Lowcountry; and offers specialized care including cancer care, heart health services, neurosciences care, women’s services, and advanced surgical options according to the official website.
