Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive-communication disorders affect the thinking skills that underlie daily life and conversation: attention, memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and social cognition. These changes can follow a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or a neurodegenerative diagnosis such as Parkinson's disease or dementia. Clarity Rehabilitation provides in-home cognitive-communication evaluation and treatment for adults across the Denver metro area.
Families often notice changes before the person affected does. Forgetting recent conversations or losing track of tasks mid-way through are signs worth evaluating. An assessment determines what has changed and whether treatment can address it.
Have you experienced increased difficulties with your memory or problem-solving skills that are impacting your daily life? Cognitive therapy may help improve these abilities through the rehabilitation of skills and the implementation of compensatory strategies.
We address 4 domains of cognition that can be impacted by various causes such as stroke, brain injury, dementia, or Parkinson’s disease. Here are some common symptoms:
Memory
Decline with short or long-term memory
Decline with “working memory” that affects ability to follow directions or completing a task
Decreased abilities with new learning
Decreased retrieval from memory
Problems with orientation to date/time
Attention
Difficulty with sustained attention when completing one task
Decreased processing speed
Difficulty shifting attention between tasks
Decreased attention span
Becoming more easily distractible
Executive Functions
Decreased decision making
Difficulty initiating, organizing, or planning tasks
Deficits with problem solving and reasoning skills
Poor inhibition
Social Cognition
Poor insight to deficits
Decreased ability to regulate emotions
Poor social perception
Decreased understanding of non-verbal cues in conversation
At Clarity Rehabilitation, our expertise in cognitive rehabilitation for neurological injuries can make a significant difference. Some of the ways we can help:
Empowering those with dementia to maintain their independence by developing/training compensatory strategies.
Assisting patients who have experienced a concussion by managing symptoms for success at work or completing various activities of choice.
Assisting TBI survivors in regaining confidence and returning to the activities they enjoy.
And so much more…
How We Approach Cognitive-Communication Treatment
Cognitive-communication treatment at Clarity Rehabilitation is grounded in evidence-based practice and functional relevance. Every treatment plan starts with a thorough evaluation that identifies which cognitive domains are affected and how those deficits are showing up in the patient's daily life. Treatment decisions follow from that assessment.
For patients with dementia, we may draw on spaced retrieval training and errorless learning, two approaches with strong evidence for improving functional memory performance and building compensatory routines that support independence. The goal is to help patients maintain meaningful function and communication for as long as possible, and to equip caregivers with strategies that reduce frustration and improve daily interactions.
For patients with TBI or stroke-related cognitive changes, treatment focuses on retraining affected skills and developing compensatory strategies for areas where full recovery is unlikely. Patients with mild cognitive impairment often benefit from a combination of cognitive skill-building and strategy training before deficits progress further.
Caregiver education is a central part of treatment for most cognitive-communication patients. The strategies practiced in therapy need to transfer to the home environment, and that transfer depends on the people around the patient knowing how to support it.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Cognitive-Communication Therapy
Adults who have experienced a stroke, brain injury, or neurological diagnosis and are noticing changes to memory, attention, reasoning, or communication are candidates for an evaluation. You do not need a confirmed diagnosis of cognitive impairment before scheduling. The evaluation determines what is present and whether treatment is indicated.
Patients across a wide range of diagnoses and severity levels can benefit from cognitive-communication therapy. For some, the goal is measurable improvement in a specific cognitive skill. For others with progressive conditions, the goal is slowing functional decline and supporting the caregivers most involved in daily care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare cover cognitive-communication therapy?
Medicare Part B covers outpatient speech-language pathology services, including cognitive-communication evaluation and treatment, when medical necessity is documented. Clarity Rehabilitation is a Medicare participating provider. Coverage depends on your specific plan and whether medical necessity criteria are met. Call us before scheduling if you have questions about your coverage.
Can therapy help someone with dementia?
Yes, though the goals look different than they do for stroke or TBI recovery. For patients with dementia, therapy focuses on maintaining functional communication and independence for as long as possible, building compensatory strategies that reduce daily confusion, and training caregivers to support communication at home. The research supporting spaced retrieval training and errorless learning in dementia populations is well-established.
Do I need a physician referral to schedule an evaluation?
A referral is not required to contact us or schedule an evaluation. Medicare and most private insurers do require a signed plan of care from a physician before ongoing treatment begins, so we coordinate with your doctor early in the process.
How is cognitive-communication therapy different from occupational therapy?
Speech-language pathology focuses on the relationship between cognition and communication. Specifically, how memory, attention, and reasoning affect a person's ability to express themselves, follow conversation, and manage daily communication tasks. Occupational therapy focuses more on functional independence in daily activities. If both are indicated, we coordinate with and refer to other providers.
At Clarity Rehabilitation, we believe in the limitless potential for progress. The brain has the capacity to form new connections, even years following a stroke or brain injury. Our approach involves collaborating with you on your personal goals, ensuring they are not only achievable but also practical and relevant to your everyday life.
