Picture by Emma Delk
WLU Director of Medical Schooling in Speech-Language Pathology Carol Zombotti, left, paints an image of a automotive on the brand new machine with WLU Speech-Language Pathologist Sara Alig, proper.
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WHEELING — Speech remedy and dementia sufferers on the West Liberty College Speech & Listening to and Behavioral Well being Clinic are enjoying whack-a-mole, planting gardens and extra for remedy utilizing an modern new rehabilitation machine.
The Tovartafel machine, which suggests “magic desk” in Dutch, permits sufferers to carry out these actions utilizing gentle projections and infrared sensors that detect real-time gestures to trace hand and foot actions.
The modern machine is the primary of its sort within the state, with WLU acquiring the system by way of a grant from the Milan Puskar Basis.
The machine performs remedy by projecting completely different remedy video games onto any 6-foot desk, and the machine’s projection can also be transferable to the ground. Utilizing the video games projected, WLU Speech & Listening to and Behavioral Well being Clinic professors and college students can deal with speech problems and dementia sufferers.
Carol Zombotti, WLU’s director of scientific training in speech-language pathology, defined the machine serves as a rehabilitation device for speech sound problems, language-based studying problems and social communication deficits.
Although the machine has solely been put in on the clinic for every week, Zombotti and WLU Speech-Language Pathologist Sara Alig have already seen advantages in sufferers throughout the age spectrum.
“Earlier than we had this machine, generally we’d simply roll a golf ball on the tabletop, so even when the sufferers can’t speak, it’s straightforward to catch the ball and hold going,” Alig stated. “That will get the mind going to construct a reference to another person. Now we will do that very same ball-rolling exercise and far more with the Tovartafel.”
Alig famous the machine is especially useful for dementia sufferers within the later phases of the illness. They’ll obtain the “visible stimulatory piece” wanted throughout remedy by way of the desk. She defined that simulating actions on the machine, reminiscent of planting a backyard, can also be useful in stopping cognitive decline in dementia sufferers.
Some video games, reminiscent of beach-ball passing, encourage motion in dementia sufferers, whereas different actions, reminiscent of silverware sprucing and sorting, encourage extra superior “categorization and job orientation,” in accordance with Alig.
Much less movement-oriented video games, together with a portray exercise, additionally present dementia sufferers with an outlet to chill out.
“We had an Alzheimer’s affected person in a later stage of the illness who was appearing up and was very upset,” Alig stated. “When she got here in and began enjoying with the desk, her demeanor utterly modified. She calmed down whereas utilizing the machine, and that response was one of the impactful issues I’ve seen occur to date.”
Aside from its advantages for older dementia sufferers, the machine has additionally proved useful for youthful speech remedy sufferers on the clinic. Zombotti defined that one recreation that has been helpful for youthful sufferers is an exercise wherein a participant has to match the sound of a farm animal to a projection of the animal.
“We’ve a scholar in our clinic that has some problem discriminating completely different sounds, so the farm animal recreation helped her work out which sounds she was listening to,” Zombotti stated. “The identical little lady additionally has some problem with reminiscence points, so there are different memory-matching video games that we play along with her.”
Aside from being helpful throughout one-on-one remedy, the Tovartafel has additionally been utilized in the course of the WLU Speech and Listening to Clinic’s dementia assist group to advertise social communication, promote bodily exercise and construct a cognitive reserve.
“We’ve had one woman in our grownup group that has had some fairly vital mind change occurring, and he or she enjoys gardening and farming,” Zombotti stated. “Whereas working along with her, we’ve integrated farming and gardening-related actions that assist relate to her.”
WLU Speech & Listening to and Behavioral Well being Clinic graduate scholar Emma Hershman famous the machine has turn into a preferred exercise for her grownup sufferers. She defined that it provides a much-needed break from the speech workbooks that her sufferers work on throughout a session.
“After we did a fly-swatting exercise and a reminiscence recreation, my sufferers’ moods modified completely,” Hershman stated. “I’ve by no means seen them smile a lot, and now they ask after they can use the machine on a regular basis.”
The machine has been well-used in its first week on the facility, with Alig noting there was a “faster turnaround” whereas reaching sufferers’ objectives utilizing the Tovartafel.
Zombotti added that as the sphere of speech remedy has developed, offering sufferers with actions aside from “saying their S’s and R’s” has turn into an essential side of remedy.
“Anytime you faucet into different modalities of communication, there’s simply this entire completely different aspect to the best way that you would be able to obtain objectives throughout your remedy session,” Alig stated. “It’s a distinct type of remedy in comparison with utilizing a workbook when you may inform sufferers, ‘Okay, right here’s a practical exercise the place you may plant tomatoes.’”
Zombotti and Alig encourage anybody within the space within the machine and in want of low-cost dementia remedy or speech remedy to contact the WLU Speech & Listening to and Behavioral Well being Clinic at 304-336-8199. The clinic additionally hosts a free persistent mind adjustments assist group for sufferers and their caregivers on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 4 p.m. on the First Christian Church on Nationwide Street.
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