Caregiver Cheat Sheet: Questions to Ask During a Session
Here are SLP-approved, practical questions to keep in your back pocket. Use them to guide communication with your SLP and stay involved in therapy sessions. I recommend using them over time instead of all at once.
1. What are the main goals for today’s session?
Help you stay informed about progress and track patterns/symptoms/preferences/motivating factors over time. You can also ask:
How do these goals support long-term recovery?
Can I help with these goals at home?
2. What kind of strategies and cues have been helpful for my loved one?
Helps you understand different ways to help your loved one perform better in their speech, language, swallowing, voice, and/or cognition.
Can you show me how to use this strategy / cue at home?
Is there a handout or video I can refer to?
Helpful Resource: How an SLP Supports Caregivers from The Wynter Wellness Group
3. How is my loved one progressing?
Helps you understand how your loved one is doing in therapy.
What has improved since the last session?
What still needs support?
Are we on track with the therapy plan?
4. What can we practice at home and how often?
Helps you to reinforce therapy between sessions.
Are there simple cues I should use when prompting?
Are there any apps or printed materials that would help?
Would low tech or high tech AAC be helpful? (For those with cognitive, language, speech or voice impairment)
What is the home exercise program (HEP)?
Can we modify the home exercise program? (If your loved one is having a hard time participating in their HEP).
5. What is the discharge plan?
Helps you stay informed of the therapy plan and the next steps, as your loved one improves and/or discharged.
Will therapy change if they improve or plateau?
What are signs we should return to the doctor or reevaluate?
What are our options after discharge?
Learn more about managing the discharge plan across other healthcare settings.
The Takeaway…
You don’t need to be a clinician to advocate like one. Asking the right questions during speech therapy helps you become an informed, empowered caregiver. Bookmark this cheat sheet, and bring it to your next session.
