Speak Out low res October 2016

45 / 48

October 2016 Speak Out 45
Victoria
VIC 1849
members
as at August 2016
The Visual Menu was designed and
produced at Caulfield Rehabilitation
Centre’s Acquired Brain Injury Unit. It
was developed by speech pathology and
allied health assistant staff after many
patients with communication and cognitive
impairment expressed frustration at not
being able to choose their meals, and
having meals appear which they were
certain they had not ordered. Before the
Visual Menu was developed, patients
would need to select meals, often helped
by family or staff, from a written menu.
Menu choices might say veal marengo
or chicken cacciatore which even for a
non-brain injured person can be difficult to
decipher. A person with aphasia trying to
order for themselves might try to order rice
as a side, but instead order pasta due to a
semantic link breakdown, or order butter
beans assuming they were choosing a
spread for their bread.
The Visual Menu allows patients to choose
their menu options based on coloured
photographs of the actual meals. Family
and/or staff often still assist; however, the
visual cues enable people to have a better
idea of what they are actually ordering –
they can “see” veal marengo and make a
choice accordingly.
As there are more than 400 different meal
options at Caulfield, based on a four-week
rotational menu, gathering the photos
was a challenge! The staff involved in the
project rotated taking photos of all meals
as they came off the conveyor belt, which
took several weeks.
The aim of the project is to support
patients to have an increased sense of
independence; we found it encouraged
staff and family members to assist patients
with communication at a functional level.
A further advantage has been reducing
food wastage as patients are more content
with food options they have chosen
themselves. Formal evaluation of the Visual
Menu involved surveying staff, patients,
and families.
Ten staff and six patients completed a
survey about the Visual Menu. Of the ten
staff surveyed, nine were aware of it and
had used it (nurses, speech pathologists
and allied health assistants). Of the six
patients surveyed, two had used it directly,
and a further three were interested in
using it. Staff comments were all positive
and focused on how the Visual Menu
helps patients to have more choice and
is easy to use with patients. Patients who
are using the menu commented, “It helps
because it is hard to recognise the names
of things like the braised meats…pictures
are handy”, and, “I prefer the picture
menu”. Patients surveyed also noted they
were now more aware of all the choices
available.
The project is being reviewed by Caulfield
Hospital Business and Strategy Unit
Manager to explore a roll-out of the Visual
Menu throughout rehabilitation and aged
care wards in Caulfield Hospital.
Anat Lankri
Speech Pathologist Caulfield Hospital
Acquired Brain Injury Unit
To celebrate the theme of Speech
Pathology Week 2016; Changing Lives – Creating
Futures, student representatives of the Victorian
Branch of Speech Pathology Australia hosted an
event for 150 students. Professionals from a range of
clinical and research areas, as well as differing levels
of experience, were invited to discuss how students
can create their own futures as they enter the
profession. Hosted at Australian Catholic University,
speakers Simone Arnott, Karen Bloomberg, Sue
Cameron, Jane-Elise Cherry, Deb Phyland, Katherine
Sanchez and Nathaniel Swain discussed how they
created their future and paved the way to their
careers. Each speaker discussed their personal
journey as a speech pathologist, including their
greatest accomplishments and challenges, and
presented advice they wished they had received as
a new graduate. Students then had the opportunity
to ask questions of the speakers in a formal panel
discussion, and during a networking session that
followed. It was a valuable opportunity for students
to hear the varied experiences of a range of
professionals and reflect on the breadth of “futures”
that can be created within the profession.
We would like to thank our speakers who so
generously gave up their time for the event, SCOPE
for the delicious catering, Speech Pathology
Australia Victoria Branch, and the support of student
coordinator Hannah Stark for making this event
possible.
SPA Victorian Branch Student Representatives
Creating Future Speechies
Visual Menu aids rehabilitation