Symptoms of Dysarthria (Slurred Speech) in Seniors

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Dysarthria is the medical term for slurred speech, often caused by other health conditions. This condition can be common in seniors because the health conditions that lead to dysarthria are often health conditions that strike the senior community. Speech therapy services can help them find resources to help them communicate as well as learn more about their current living and social situation, catering care to their immediate needs.

Dysarthria Causes

A person will develop Dysarthria when the muscles used for speech are weak or are hard to control. Dysarthria can develop when it becomes difficult for your loved one to move the muscles in the mouth, face, or upper respiratory system. Those muscles are responsible for controlling speech so when affected by another health condition or medication, your loved one may not be able to speak clearly.

Conditions that often lead to dysarthria in the elderly include:

A head injury from an accident or falling.
Stroke
Parkinson’s Disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease
A brain tumor
Advanced Multiple Sclerosis
Dementia

Dysarthria Symptoms

Depending on what parts of your loved one’s mouth and facial muscles are affected, their speech may be changed in several ways.

Common symptoms include:

Difficulty in moving their mouth, lips, or tongue
Slow speech
Slurred speech
An inability to control the volume of their speech. They may speak much too loud for the environment or not be able to talk above a whisper.
Talking so quickly that it’s difficult to decipher what they’re saying
A change in their voice. Their voice may be more raspy or nasally. It might even become extremely monotone without any inflections of emotions.
Speaking in short bursts and then taking a long break between those bursts
Being stressed or tired can exasperate any of their symptoms.

Why Treating Dysarthria is Important

While slurred speech is a side effect of another health condition, it’s important to give it the attention it needs for your loved one to recover from it. Having problems communicating can cause emotional damage to your loved one as he withdraws from trying to communicate with others and isolates himself. Not being able to communicate their desires and needs can lead to depression and anger in your loved one, creating an unhealthy mental state when he’s already going through other health issues that have put a strain on him physically and emotionally.

Speech Therapy Simpsonville SC – Symptoms of Dysarthria (Slurred Speech) in Seniors

Speech Therapy for Dysarthria

Talk to your elderly loved one’s doctor about what the best steps are for helping your loved one learn how to manage their dysarthria and develop skills to communicate more clearly with those around them. A common recommendation includes speech therapy. If your loved one needs speech therapy, having someone available at assisted living to help with speech therapy can be a great option to ensure they get the therapy they need in comfort.

Your elderly loved one will also benefit from less exposure to unknown germs and illnesses that are often present in public places like a large rehabilitation center. This could be an important benefit of speech therapy at assisted living if your loved one is dealing with a health condition that weakens his immune system and increases his risk of serious illness.