Handout: Caregiver Communication Strategies

The Cognitive Communication Assessment created by Medical SLPs is a quick and easy to administer tool for speech therapists working in the medical setting. With a more functional approach to evaluation, this assessment tool can be used to develop individualized therapy programs and help therapists create functional goals for their clients. Administration materials included: patient intake form, record form, and stimulus booklet. Note: This is an informal assessment and has not been standardized.

Table of Contents 

 I. Intake Form

i. HPI, PLOF, Daily Routines, Cognitive Demands, Discharge Planning

ii. MDS Coding – For Skilled Nursing Facilities only

 II. Auditory Comprehension

i. Pointing/Body Parts

ii. Yes/No Questions

iii. Following Commands

iv. Understanding Conversation

 III. Verbal Expression

i. Automatics

ii. Phrase Completion

iii. Repetition

iv. Confrontational Naming

v. Divergent Naming

vi. Responsive Naming

vii. Convergent Naming

viii. Object Description

ix. Sentence Formulation

IV. Written Expression

i. Confrontational Naming

ii. Personal Information

iii. Functional Messages and Taking Notes

iv. Clock Drawing

V. Reading Comprehension

i. Reading Ability/Recognition

ii. Words-Phrases Matching

iii. Paragraph Comprehension

iv. Functional Reading – Menu

VI. Cognition

i. Attention

ii. Immediate Recall and Recent Memory

iii. Distant Memory

iv. Making Change and Calculating Coins

v. Functional Calculations

vi. Problem Solving/Safety

vii. Sequencing and Organization

viii. Balancing Checkbook and Writing a Check