Acanders1
Dec 30, 2011
Undergraduate / Personal Essay Regarding the importance of Speech Pathology in our increasing society [5]
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. I definitely took your advice, and have polished up my essay a lot. Anyone, please feel free to give me your input and advice.
The moment a child mutters their first word, results in many parents falling from their seat in excitement. Speaking sets us apart from any other species by allowing us to express our wants, needs, and desires. We usually take the ability to speak for granted until we know someone who has issues communicating. A simple stutter can make it very difficult for someone to indulge in a typical conversation. Helping people with communication disorders will not only open the door for many career opportunities, but can help provide people with more self-esteem. Communication disorders are diverse issues, and I am excited to gain more knowledge about them and apply that knowledge to my career as a Speech Language Pathologist.
My interest in communication disorders started with a tragic instance that occurred recently in my family. My grandfather is a family man, preacher, and a people person. Every Sunday, when I visited him, I would sit in my typical fourth row pew, and listened intently to the powerful sermons my grandfather would preach so well. Communication was an integral part to my grandfather's life and career. That all came to an end two years ago when my grandfather suffered a series of strokes resulting in extreme neurological damage that severely affected his speech. He could no longer preach, tell jokes, and engage in conversations like he used to. After switching to a new doctor, we learned that he should have been visiting a Speech Pathologist for the past year. I learned speech therapy could bring my old grandpa back and I became inspired with questions filling my mind.
I began to do extensive research about Speech Pathology, and talked to many people about the field. I decided to observe numerous speech pathologists at a local speech clinic, and learned more about the different aspects of communication disorders. With every bit of information I had obtained, I became more passionate in learning more about the importance of speech therapy for stroke patients. Those of the baby boomer generation are beginning to age and contribute to the senior population. Along with aging comes strokes, Alzheimer's, and neurological damages. By 2012, America's elderly population will reach 100 million, and in the next twenty years, 77 million baby boomers will retire. These shocking statistics will soon lead to fewer patients receiving the help they need with post neurological damages due to strokes and head traumas.
According to the ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) website, there are currently 126,219 certified ASHA Speech Pathologists in the United States. ASHA states that positions for Speech Pathologists will need to increase to accommodate the needs of the elderly. Speech Pathologists can also be instrumental by improving the prognosis for stroke victims by helping them improve complications in swallowing that are caused by paralysis from strokes. This is an important step in therapy that will potentially save the patient's life. Given the limited therapeutic window due to the increase of stroke victims, this will potentially result in a grim future for our loved ones.
It is heart-wrenching to think that our mothers, fathers, and grandparents may not receive the help they need in the future. Before my grandfather's stroke, I had never realized how crucial speech therapy is in improving the quality of life of those with speech disorders. Most of our parents and grandparents have helped pave the road for us to emerge in society and become successful. It is imperative we return the favor and provide them with the assistance they need to attain a prosperous life.
Witnessing the progress in my grandfather's speech has sparked a passion in me to pursue a career as a Speech Pathologist. A quality education from a reputable university will provide me with the opportunity to continue my research and obtain a Bachelor's in Communication Disorders, which would be a stepping stone to my goal of obtaining a Master's in Speech Pathology. I am eager to learn more about the numerous aspects of communication disorders while focusing my research on the effects of stroke victims. My dedication will show through my commitment to improve communication in a variety of age groups, and also providing a bright future for our elderly population.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. I definitely took your advice, and have polished up my essay a lot. Anyone, please feel free to give me your input and advice.
The moment a child mutters their first word, results in many parents falling from their seat in excitement. Speaking sets us apart from any other species by allowing us to express our wants, needs, and desires. We usually take the ability to speak for granted until we know someone who has issues communicating. A simple stutter can make it very difficult for someone to indulge in a typical conversation. Helping people with communication disorders will not only open the door for many career opportunities, but can help provide people with more self-esteem. Communication disorders are diverse issues, and I am excited to gain more knowledge about them and apply that knowledge to my career as a Speech Language Pathologist.
My interest in communication disorders started with a tragic instance that occurred recently in my family. My grandfather is a family man, preacher, and a people person. Every Sunday, when I visited him, I would sit in my typical fourth row pew, and listened intently to the powerful sermons my grandfather would preach so well. Communication was an integral part to my grandfather's life and career. That all came to an end two years ago when my grandfather suffered a series of strokes resulting in extreme neurological damage that severely affected his speech. He could no longer preach, tell jokes, and engage in conversations like he used to. After switching to a new doctor, we learned that he should have been visiting a Speech Pathologist for the past year. I learned speech therapy could bring my old grandpa back and I became inspired with questions filling my mind.
I began to do extensive research about Speech Pathology, and talked to many people about the field. I decided to observe numerous speech pathologists at a local speech clinic, and learned more about the different aspects of communication disorders. With every bit of information I had obtained, I became more passionate in learning more about the importance of speech therapy for stroke patients. Those of the baby boomer generation are beginning to age and contribute to the senior population. Along with aging comes strokes, Alzheimer's, and neurological damages. By 2012, America's elderly population will reach 100 million, and in the next twenty years, 77 million baby boomers will retire. These shocking statistics will soon lead to fewer patients receiving the help they need with post neurological damages due to strokes and head traumas.
According to the ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) website, there are currently 126,219 certified ASHA Speech Pathologists in the United States. ASHA states that positions for Speech Pathologists will need to increase to accommodate the needs of the elderly. Speech Pathologists can also be instrumental by improving the prognosis for stroke victims by helping them improve complications in swallowing that are caused by paralysis from strokes. This is an important step in therapy that will potentially save the patient's life. Given the limited therapeutic window due to the increase of stroke victims, this will potentially result in a grim future for our loved ones.
It is heart-wrenching to think that our mothers, fathers, and grandparents may not receive the help they need in the future. Before my grandfather's stroke, I had never realized how crucial speech therapy is in improving the quality of life of those with speech disorders. Most of our parents and grandparents have helped pave the road for us to emerge in society and become successful. It is imperative we return the favor and provide them with the assistance they need to attain a prosperous life.
Witnessing the progress in my grandfather's speech has sparked a passion in me to pursue a career as a Speech Pathologist. A quality education from a reputable university will provide me with the opportunity to continue my research and obtain a Bachelor's in Communication Disorders, which would be a stepping stone to my goal of obtaining a Master's in Speech Pathology. I am eager to learn more about the numerous aspects of communication disorders while focusing my research on the effects of stroke victims. My dedication will show through my commitment to improve communication in a variety of age groups, and also providing a bright future for our elderly population.
