In conversation with Lara Schöneborn about AI and personalised care in neurorehabilitation
On 6 March, we annually celebrate the European Day of Speech and Language Therapy, an opportunity to raise awareness about speech, language, and communication disorders, and to highlight the essential work of speech and language therapists and logopedists.
This year’s theme, artificial intelligence (AI), invites us to explore how smart tools can complement human expertise in therapy: supporting assessment, practice, and motivation while keeping care personal, ethical, and secure.
At cereneo – in Weggis and Vitznau – our focus is always patient‑driven: culturally sensitive, multilingual, and tailored to individual goals. In this spirit, we sat down with one of our speech and language therapists, Lara Schöneborn, to reflect on AI’s promise and its limits – offering practical perspectives and suggestions for patients and families. Her insights highlight how technology can support therapy without replacing the vital human connection that drives progress and hope.
Lara Schöneborn is a speech and language therapist since four and a half years at cereneo. She supports people recovering from neurological conditions to regain clear communication and safe swallowing. Her work spans speech clarity and voice, understanding and expressing language (including aphasia), reading and writing, facial palsy, and swallowing difficulties. Every plan is tailored to individual goals, languages, and cultural needs, with active family involvement.
How do you tailor therapy sessions to each person’s goals, language, and culture?
Upon first meeting, the therapist starts with a clear history and goal-setting conversation, exploring the person’s priorities and the difficulties they and their family notice. Standardised assessments then provide objective measures to identify the specific impairments and set a baseline. Based on these findings and the patient’s care program provided by the doctors (including the number and intensity of sessions), the therapist designs an individual plan that makes the most of their time at cereneo, prioritising safety, function, and meaningful goals.
For example, after a stroke, if someone has both language and swallowing difficulties, the team will focus on swallowing first because safety comes first. They work to reduce aspiration risk (when food or liquid enters the airway) and stabilise eating and drinking. Once swallowing is safe, therapy shifts to communication – targeting understanding, expression, and literacy – always adapted to the patient’s language, culture, and family routines.
What can patients and families do between sessions to support progress?
Between sessions, patients and families play an active role in sustaining progress in safe ways agreed with the therapist. For swallowing, we teach brief stimulation and practice tasks, with clear guidance on when to pause if there’s coughing or discomfort. For aphasia, families learn practical communication strategies to communicate effectively. We also set up self‑training on a tablet with personalised exercises and progress tracking, so patients can practise independently while we adapt the plan. This shared approach keeps gains alive in everyday routines and respects each person’s language, culture, and family life.
This year’s theme is artificial intelligence: what opportunities do you see for AI in speech and language therapy, and what are its limits?
AI at cereneo is currently limited for swallowing therapy, where specialist and hands-on care is essential. For language and communication, however, it’s a helpful support. We uses AI to create individual materials – such as picture sets and tailored texts that target specific goals (for example, practising verbs or functional words), built around topics the person knows and enjoys, from work to hobbies. We also use AI to streamline administrative tasks like reports and daily notes, so we can really focus on the patient. Still, boundaries matter: overreliance can dilute the craft of therapy. That’s why we keep AI clinician-led, culturally sensitive, and personal. It can assist – but never replace – the therapist.
For patients and families considering AI tools, what practical guidance would you give on choosing trustworthy solutions and using them safely alongside clinician-led therapy?
For patients and families, AI can be both helpful and risky. It can offer targeted exercises and fill knowledge gaps, but not all information online is accurate. We encourage relatives to join our sessions, observe how techniques are applied, and take home what’s safe and relevant for their routines. If you explore AI tools, do so alongside clinician guidance, choose reputable solutions, and be mindful of privacy. Used wisely, AI can complement therapy and empower families – now and in the future.
Note: This article is not medical advice.
