Speech-language pathologist

Elizabeth McKinney

MA | CCC-SLP | CDP

Elizabeth is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with nearly 20 years of experience assessing and treating older adults with swallowing, cognitive-linguistic, speech, and voice disorders in skilled nursing settings. She earned both her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology and her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with a minor in gerontology, from the University of Florida. She graduated with honors from both programs. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, is a Certified Dementia Practitioner, and is certified in VitalStim, ACP sEMG, and PENS for dysphagia management, as well as the LSVT LOUD and SPEAK OUT! programs for Parkinson's disease.

Elizabeth has spent her entire clinical career in skilled nursing, beginning at Life Care Center of Palm Bay. She currently practices at Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center, a 180-bed skilled nursing facility, and at Viera Health and Rehab Center and Viera Del Mar Rehab Center. At Melbourne Terrace she developed a cognitive-linguistic and swallowing maintenance program for more than 40 long-term care residents and supervises interns and clinical fellows. Since 2023 she has served as an expert witness for plaintiff and defense counsel nationwide, reviewing roughly 20 cases involving dementia, dysphagia, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. She is also a peer reviewer for the Department of Defense's TRICARE Quality Monitoring Contract and teaches continuing education on dysphagia and its legal implications.

Areas of focus

• Dysphagia & AspirationSwallowing assessment, diet texture and liquid consistency recommendations, aspiration risk, and choking events.
• Dementia & Cognitive CareCognitive-linguistic assessment and treatment, dementia care programming, and maintenance programs for long-term care residents.
• Neurologic DisordersSpeech, voice, and swallowing treatment following stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's disease.

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