The most complete resource of its kind, this practical guidebook and CD-ROM set gathers in one place everything professionals need to support and improve communication for adults with specific medical conditions. A team of leading researchers and clinicians gives speech-language pathologists, physicians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other health care professionals Expert guidance on providing effective augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services for people with a range of disorders and illnesses, including brainstem impairments, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and dementia. Readers will get a full chapter of in-depth information on each condition and thorough guidance on meeting the specific communication needs of adults throughout the course of each disorder. Assessment and intervention tools. The CD-ROM in the back of this book has more than 160 pages of supplementary material, including practical tools and forms. Professionals will get basic assessments to help them pinpoint the level of communication support a person needs, and they'll find a wide variety of interventions and supports to help adults communicate effectively. An indispensable guide for every health care professional, this comprehensive resource will help readers make the best possible decisions about communication supports and improve the quality of life for adults with acute or chronic medical conditions.