See also Questions to ask the health professionals below.
Speech and Language Therapist:
Why is s/he having the speech and language therapy assessment? What will it show?
Will you explain the results of the assessment to us?
How much therapy will s/he receive and what will it involve?
Where else can I get help/support, i.e. stroke clubs/Dysphasia Support/self-help groups/adult education?
What can I do to help?
What happens when therapy finishes? How will s/he be reviewed before therapy stops?
How will you know if she is improving, and how much will s/he improve?
Healthcare Team:
What is causing the problem?
a. Is there a clear diagnosis? If not, what range of things could it be?
What tests has s/he had?
a. What did the tests show?
b. Is s/he going to have any further tests? What for? When?
c. Has s/he had a speech and language therapy assessment? If not, how soon can that be arranged?
S/he clearly has problems with his/her speech:
a. What is the name of the problem (e.g. Dysarthria - slurred speech, or Aphasia/Dysphasia - language loss, or something else)?
b. Does s/he have any physical problems (such as problems using his/her hands or legs)?
c. Does s/he have any memory problems?
How severe are his/her problems now?
a. What improvement is likely?
b. What period of time will recovery take?
What medication is s/he receiving?
a. How do the different drugs interact with one another?
b. What side effects should we watch out for?
c. When will the medication be reviewed, and by whom?
d. How often will the medication be reviewed and by whom?
What is the proposed treatment plan?
a. How long will s/he be in hospital?
b. What kind of ward will s/he be on?
c. Who is the person in charge of his/her care?
d. Is s/he being treated by a team of people? If yes, who is in the team? What roles do they have (e.g. Consultant, Speech and Language Therapist, physiotherapist, nurse)?
What is his/her patient discharge plan for when s/he leaves hospital?
a. What rehabilitation service/support will be made available?
b. What kind of support will s/he have at home / where s/he is living?
What can s/he do to help his/her recovery, especially of his/her speech?
How can relatives and friends best support him/her and help his/her recovery, especially of speech?
What other sources of information and support are available (e.g. patient information service, patient support group) and where/how can these sources be accessed/contacted?
