Speech Therapist Joins NARH Rehabilitation Services

Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jane Kingsley Apkin of Sarasota, Fla., a speech-language pathologist, has joined the Rehabilitation Services department of North Adams Regional Hospital. Apkin will be treating inpatients and outpatients at NARH.

Apkin earned her master’s degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences from Ohio University and has since worked in a variety of positions including as a speech pathology clinical supervisor, speech-language pathology consultant for the state of Georgia, and speech-language pathologist in a rehab hospital and long-term acute care hospital. Most recently she was Vice President of Operations and Southern Regional Director for Health Connections Rehabilitation Services in Tallahassee, Fla.

“Swallowing and speaking come so naturally to us that we take these skills for granted,” said Apkin. “But after a stroke or other illness, swallowing and communication issues often have a major impact on overall health and quality of life.”

Apkin said most people with speech and language problems can be helped. Speech-language pathologists (or speech therapists) have a wide variety of assessment and treatment tools to provide customized interventions for every client and age group.  

“An especially helpful assessment tool is the modified barium swallow (MBS) study, which is a motion-picture X-ray of the swallow as it happens so that we are able to determine whether food and liquid are going to the stomach or spilling toward the lungs,” said Apkin. “With this brief, non-invasive test, we can formulate a treatment plan to restore the client to their maximum level of swallowing safety. This test may be performed on an inpatient or outpatient basis.”

Some common speech, language, and swallowing disorders include aphasia (receptive or expressive language), dysarthria (slurred speech), verbal apraxia (knowing what word you want to say, but unable to say it), voice disorders (hoarse, harsh, or breathy voice), and speech and language development issues. Speech therapists work with people of all ages to treat these disorders.

North Adams Regional Hospital offers all speech therapy services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. For more Information, contact NARH Rehab Services at 413-664-5448.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Companion Corner Grey Boy at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat No Paws Left Behind still waiting for his forever home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. He was previously highlighted but he now has new information.

Grey Boy is 10 years old and is a gray and white domestic shorthair and was previously highlighted on Companion Corner.

The shelter's Executive Director Noelle Howland introduced us to him and his long journey to be ready for adoption.

"He's been here a couple months. He was a transfer from a rescue in Bennington. They were out of space, so we had taken him in with a few other cats. So he's been here a couple months. He came in with what we believed was a respiratory infection," she said. "So it took us a little bit to get him ready, and then he also needed a dental. So he has nice, clean teeth. He had some teeth removed, and then he has to go back in and have one more dental. So he'll be all ready to go."

It was previously thought that he has feline herpes but he was recently diagnosed with a palette fracture because of how bad his dental disease was, which is what is causing his sneezing. He can now go home with cats, a cat-savvy dog and children.

"He has had two dentals since being with us. Due to the palate fracture he will be sneezy for the rest of his life, not contagious sneezing, but that doesn’t stop him from living a perfectly happy life. He should be on wet food with chunks due to this and since he has had many teeth removed," Howland said.

Grey Boy loves to play with toys and enjoy treats. He would also love to have a window to lounge or bird-watch in.

"He is not afraid of anything. He's very curious, so I'm sure he'd love if you have windows for him to look out of. He still plays, even though he's 10 it does not stop him. So any home would be a good fit for him."

Now that he is ready to be adopted, he is excited. When you walk into the room with him he will rub up against your leg introducing himself and asking to be pet.

"Usually, I would say, when you're walking, he'll bonk into you so he might catch you off guard a little bit. He constantly is rubbing against you," Howland said. "He really, I would say he's lazy when you want him to be, and he's active when you want him to be. He'll play with toys. He's usually lounging away. And then when he comes out he'll play. He loves it. So, very friendly, easy going cat."

He is now perfectly healthy with his dentals all done and veterinary care up to date and is ready to find his forever family.

"I would say the friendliest, easiest cat you could have. He's just, he's just gonna be a little sneezy sometimes, but that doesn't stop him from doing anything," she said.

Grey Boy's adoption fee is sponsored by Rooted in Balance Counseling LLC.

View Full Story

More North Adams Stories