Educational Consultants Group - Speech, Language, Voice, Swallowing, Memory

Course Title:

Memory: It's More Than What You Think

Course Description:

Feeling forgetful lately? You're in good company. Did you know that as many as two-thirds of people age 50 and older notice greater difficulty remembering names, appointments, and other details? No matter what your age, it's not too late to take steps to prevent memory loss. A good place to start is with the strategies for improving your memory.

You exercise your body to keep it in top shape--but what about your brain? The goal of this class is to boost memory by giving your brain a workout. This course will exercise the 5 forms of memory, sensory, working, semantic, episodic and procedural. This course will offer tips, tricks and strategies to enhance brain fitness anytime, anywhere. Whether you're concerned about memory loss, or enhancing your understanding of memory, or you simply want to regain that cognitive edge of your youth, this class is for you. You only have one brain so get skills for keeping your brain in optimum shape today.

During this course we will discuss:

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A particular form of memory,

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Exercises for that form of memory,

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Diseases that impact the particular form of memory,

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Memory form compensation techniques and

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Improvement techniques for the particular form of memory.

Session time required: approximately 90 minutes

Course length: 6 weeks

WorkShops and Courses

Did you know?

Workshop Title:

Memory Tips, Tricks and Strategies for Adults

Workshop Description:

This workshop will focus on memory tips, tricks and strategies as they relate to medication management, personal accounting and driving concerns. Issues in remembering to take medication, manage bills and driving safely greatly impact ones’ ability to live independently. Often a few simple strategies can help an individual maintain a healthy, happy, and independent lifestyle.

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

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Identify a memory issue that that may affect medication management

and name a tip that will help them remember to take their medication

and a strategy to help them remember if they took their medication.

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Identify memory issues that that may impact personal accounting

skills and name two tips to help them remember if they paid their bills

and a strategy to help them remember when they are due.

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Name two memory issues that may impact driving and identify a

strategy that may improve driving skills.

Time Required: approximately 60 - 90 minutes

All courses are offered at our Brandon, FL office located at 150 East Bloomingdale Avenue. Our courses are offered several times a year. To be notified of the next start date for a particular course, please register here or contact Educational Consultants Group at (813) 373-0016.

Course Title:

MindSpring

Course Description:

The body has many muscles and the brain is one of them. The brain needs exercise like any other muscle in the body. “Use it or lose it”. Research is showing that an active brain helps prevent memory loss. Is your brain being lulled into autopilot with your daily routine? These sessions focus on providing participants with the skills to identify autopilot activities and enhance them. Also, participants learn techniques and everyday fun activities to keep their mind sharp.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

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Identify one activity that puts them on autopilot.

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Identify at least one fun activity they can do to stimulate their brain

functioning and stretch their brain’s capabilities.

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Identify one change they can make in their daily route to keep their

mind active.

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Identify one technique they can use to improve their thinking/cognitive

skills.

Session time required: approximately 60 – 90 minutes

Course length based on group size: 1 – 4 weeks

Course Title:

Parkinson’s Disease Impact on Communication

Course Description:

As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson's disease (PD). One of the most difficult aspects of PD is the reduced ability to communicate. Changes in speech and language can have a negative impact upon individuals with PD and their family long before more severe impairments of intelligibility appear. It is estimated that approximately 89% of people with Parkinson's disease have speech and voice problems. However, despite the high incidence of speech and voice impairment, studies suggest that only 3-4% of people with PD receive speech treatment. This course is designed to teach strategies that will reduce communication problems brought on by Parkinson’s disease.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

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Identify a strategy that may improve communication with an individual

that has Parkinson’s.

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Explain why vocal quality is impacted by Parkinson’s.

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Demonstrate a strategy that can improve clarity of speech and non-

verbal communication.

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Demonstrate a technique to increase voice volume and improve word

pronunciation.

Session time required: approximately 90 minutes

Course length based on group size: 1 – 4 weeks

Course Title:

Bon Appetit

Course Description:

Diabetes and high blood pressure are lifestyle illnesses. They are considered lifestyle illnesses because they can often be controlled and even cured by lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. Diabetes and high blood pressure are often precursors to more serious health issues such as stroke, heart condition and even Alzheimer’s. Most individuals are familiar with the need to reduce salt, sugar and other foods in their diet, but they do not. This course will focus on the reasons people frequently have difficulty changing their dietary habits.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

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Identify the 4 main reasons people do not change their dietary habits.

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Identify how to use this information to address at least one of the

necessary food changes they need to make.

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Provide an example of an effective way to modify fruits and/or

vegetables to increase their presence in daily food planning.

Session time required: approximately 60 – 90 minutes

Course length based on group size: 1 – 4 weeks

At Educational Consultants Group we care about wellness. Our Community Educational Outreach Program focuses on understanding, improving and preventing health conditions that impact quality of life.

ECG utilizes many holistic techniques to bring patients quickly back to health, wholeness, and well being. We provide comprehensive holistic medical speech-language pathology services, we treat a vast array of health disorders and illnesses that result in speech, language, voice, swallowing and memory problems.

With the changing medical insurance reimbursement situation, there is an increased need for individuals to be empowered and given the opportunity to receive guidance on ways they can improve their communication, cognition and swallowing abilities. Community resources are a cost-efficient and productive way to help individuals maintain their current skills and learn new ones to sustain wellness.

Course Title:

Strategies for Lifestyle Safety

Course Description:

Injuries are the leading cause of death and hospital admissions among the elderly population. Injuries often result in seniors losing some of their independence such as living alone or driving. Furthermore, issues with daily living activities puts seniors more at risk and lessen their quality of life. This course will focus on identifying the major physical, psychological and environmental risks that impact seniors and provide strategies to improve daily functioning.

Falls are not an inevitable part of growing older. The inability to perform daily activities is not an inevitable part of growing older. Many limitations can be improved, by making the home safer and using products that help keep seniors more independent in their homes. Environmental issues regarding indoor safety greatly impact seniors’ ability to live independently. Often a few simple strategies can help an individual maintain a healthy, happy, and independent lifestyle out of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

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Identify one reason why they maybe more at risk of injury than a

younger adult.

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Identify at least one environmental hazard in their home that they can

address.

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Identify one product or technique they can use to change their

environment and address their needs.

Session time required: approximately 60 – 90 minutes

Course length based on group size: 1 – 4 weeks

Course Title:

Cognitive Skills Improvement for Senior Drivers

Course Description:

Research studies are finding that crash-fatality rates may be decreased by gradually improving the cognitive health of seniors. According to research, drivers who fail a cognitive test are at increased risk for being involved in a crash. Drivers' cognitive capabilities are probably the most important skills to strengthen for continued driving. Cognitive abilities important to driving can be prolonged and even rehabilitated in the aging motorist. Frequently, the brain is lulled into the routine of driving. By challenging the brain with stimulating activities changes in cognitive abilities can be seen.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

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Identify one area of weakness in their or someone else’s driving

ability.

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Identify at least one environmental modification they can make in their

car to possibly improve their driving.

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Identify one technique they can use to improve their thinking/cognitive

skills for driving.

Session time required: approximately 60 – 90 minutes

Course length based on group size: 1 – 4 weeks

Course Title:

Communication After Stroke

Course Description:

It is estimated that approximately 80,000 individuals have difficulty expressing themselves or understanding language (Aphasia) each year following a stroke. About one million persons in the United States currently have Aphasia. Sometimes family members and other persons can become frustrated. This course will help participants understand the physical disorder of Aphasia and give them some tools to help.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

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Identify a hands on strategy that may improve their communication

with a individual that has had a stroke.

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Discuss the most frequent needs of a person with communication

problems (Aphasia) following a stroke.

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Demonstrate hands-on strategies that may improve their

communication with a individual that has had a stroke.

Session time required: approximately 90 minutes

Course length based on group size: 1 – 4 weeks