Practical Strategies to Optimize Cognitive-Communication Intervention in Complex Real-World Conditions: A Life Integration Approach.

Purpose: Cognitive-communication intervention (CCI) service gaps compromise quality of life for individuals with acquired brain injuries. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must examine barriers to care and develop solutions to address current problems in awareness of cognitive-communication disorders, understanding of SLP services, access and referral mechanisms, and care pathways. They must also adapt CCI to the complexities and constraints of daily life. In this article, we explore actions that clinical SLPs can take to overcome service barriers and advocate for fair, timely, and evidence-based CCI.

Method: This clinical focus article examines barriers to CCI and provides a set of tools and strategies SLPs can employ to address them. These strategies are organized into a framework called the Life Integration Approach (LIA), which has 10 elements to guide clinical service planning: (a) evidence application, (b) communication education and assertiveness, (c) access and referral, (d) assessment, (e) therapeutic engagement, (f) cognitive-communication goal setting, (g) instructional practices, (h) life integration, (i) communication partner collaboration, and (j) resource allocation. Resources are provided to demonstrate how the LIA can integrate advocacy with clinical service while adapting to complex conditions of life, competing priorities, and service constraints.

Results and conclusion: Although barriers to provision of quality SLP CCI may seem formidable, there are practical actions SLPs can take to advocate for and adapt CCI services to life demands for individuals living with the devastating effects of brain injury.