1 00:00:12,304 --> 00:00:14,544 Welcome to the Swallow Your Pride podcast. I'm 2 00:00:14,544 --> 00:00:16,804 your host, Theresa Richard. I'm a board certified 3 00:00:16,864 --> 00:00:19,745 specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders, a mobile 4 00:00:19,745 --> 00:00:22,244 thieves business owner, and founder of the MedSLP 5 00:00:22,385 --> 00:00:22,885 Collective. 6 00:00:23,345 --> 00:00:25,505 This podcast is all about delivering the latest 7 00:00:25,505 --> 00:00:28,199 evidence based practice to medical SLPs everywhere. 8 00:00:28,679 --> 00:00:31,000 Whether you're a new clinician seeking tangible tools 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,079 for treatment or a seasoned vet stuck in 10 00:00:33,079 --> 00:00:35,000 a rut, my goal is to help ditch 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:36,600 the old school ways of the past that 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,840 no longer serve you or your patients, to 13 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,234 reinvigorate your passion for our field, to broaden 14 00:00:41,234 --> 00:00:43,315 your knowledge about our scope of practice, and 15 00:00:43,315 --> 00:00:45,075 to inspire you to practice at the top 16 00:00:45,075 --> 00:00:47,234 of your license. So if you're listening, I 17 00:00:47,234 --> 00:00:49,554 encourage you to swallow your pride, be open 18 00:00:49,554 --> 00:00:51,635 and willing to learn because let's face it, 19 00:00:51,635 --> 00:00:54,274 your patients deserve that kind of care. With 20 00:00:54,274 --> 00:00:56,135 that, let's dive right in. 21 00:00:56,649 --> 00:00:58,810 Just a quick disclaimer that all statements and 22 00:00:58,810 --> 00:01:01,289 opinions expressed in this episode do not reflect 23 00:01:01,289 --> 00:01:04,090 on the organizations associated with the speakers and 24 00:01:04,090 --> 00:01:07,230 are their own opinions solely. Alright. Hello, everybody. 25 00:01:07,290 --> 00:01:09,630 Welcome back to the Sawyer Pride podcast. 26 00:01:10,155 --> 00:01:12,954 Today's guest is Samantha Ellenderi. She is the 27 00:01:12,954 --> 00:01:15,694 founder and CEO of the Parkinson Voice Project. 28 00:01:15,995 --> 00:01:17,915 She's devoted the past twenty six years of 29 00:01:17,915 --> 00:01:20,575 her life to making quality speech therapy accessible 30 00:01:20,635 --> 00:01:23,775 to individuals with Parkinson's disease and related disorders. 31 00:01:24,020 --> 00:01:26,120 Under her leadership, Parkinson Voice Project 32 00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:29,219 developed the evidence based Speak Out therapy program 33 00:01:29,219 --> 00:01:30,680 to help the Parkinson's population 34 00:01:31,140 --> 00:01:34,280 regain and retain speech and swallowing abilities. 35 00:01:34,740 --> 00:01:36,840 The program can improve volume, articulation, 36 00:01:37,355 --> 00:01:40,314 breath support for speech, voice quality, intonation, and 37 00:01:40,314 --> 00:01:41,295 facial expression. 38 00:01:41,755 --> 00:01:44,474 Patients and families also report reduced drooling and 39 00:01:44,474 --> 00:01:47,755 improved swallowing. This highly effective research based treatment 40 00:01:47,755 --> 00:01:50,954 combines education, individual and group speech therapy, and 41 00:01:50,954 --> 00:01:53,950 daily home practice. Elland Dairy believes clinicians need 42 00:01:53,950 --> 00:01:56,430 the clinical skills and compassion to provide quality 43 00:01:56,430 --> 00:01:59,310 treatment while adhering to business practices that promote 44 00:01:59,310 --> 00:02:02,989 cost effectiveness and efficiency. Since 02/2008, Parkinson Voice 45 00:02:02,989 --> 00:02:05,549 Project has proudly provided its speech therapy services 46 00:02:05,549 --> 00:02:07,825 with without billing insurance or charging for its 47 00:02:07,825 --> 00:02:08,325 services. 48 00:02:08,705 --> 00:02:11,504 The organization is primarily funded through donations made 49 00:02:11,504 --> 00:02:14,705 by grateful patients, families, and the community. With 50 00:02:14,705 --> 00:02:16,944 this unique funding model, no person diagnosed with 51 00:02:16,944 --> 00:02:19,585 Parkinson's has ever been denied treatment at Parkinson 52 00:02:19,585 --> 00:02:22,419 Voice Project due to insurance or financial limitations. 53 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,719 On that note, welcome to the show. Thank 54 00:02:24,719 --> 00:02:27,199 you so much for having me. Yes. Yes. 55 00:02:27,199 --> 00:02:28,639 It's such such an honor to have you 56 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,639 on the show, Samantha. I there's many people 57 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:32,514 that I really respect and looked up to 58 00:02:32,514 --> 00:02:35,235 into this field, but, you are absolutely one 59 00:02:35,235 --> 00:02:36,754 of them because I just as as I 60 00:02:36,754 --> 00:02:37,895 mentioned in your bio, 61 00:02:38,275 --> 00:02:40,594 I speak for most SLPs when I say 62 00:02:40,594 --> 00:02:41,974 most SLPs are 63 00:02:42,594 --> 00:02:43,094 either, 64 00:02:43,474 --> 00:02:45,235 you know, know what speak out is, are 65 00:02:45,235 --> 00:02:47,555 very interested in speak out, are are big 66 00:02:47,555 --> 00:02:50,065 advocates for it, but then also as as 67 00:02:50,065 --> 00:02:52,322 we mentioned, your funding model and how that 68 00:02:52,322 --> 00:02:54,579 is just so unique in health care. And 69 00:02:54,579 --> 00:02:56,837 so so much to dive into today. So 70 00:02:56,837 --> 00:02:59,094 talk a little bit about what what led 71 00:02:59,094 --> 00:03:01,351 to starting the Parkinson's voice project. I was 72 00:03:01,351 --> 00:03:03,444 working at a hospital in Dallas as a 73 00:03:03,444 --> 00:03:04,824 speech language pathologist. 74 00:03:05,365 --> 00:03:06,745 And at that time, 75 00:03:07,364 --> 00:03:09,864 my boss had put me in charge of, 76 00:03:10,245 --> 00:03:11,625 we had a program 77 00:03:12,245 --> 00:03:15,465 within the movement disorders clinic, a Parkinson's program. 78 00:03:15,525 --> 00:03:18,439 They called it the Parkinson's Life Enhancement Program 79 00:03:18,439 --> 00:03:20,379 at the time. So I was the SLP 80 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:22,759 assigned to that team. And so I was 81 00:03:22,759 --> 00:03:24,540 treating lots of people with Parkinson's. 82 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,159 And what I noticed was that they did 83 00:03:27,159 --> 00:03:29,180 very well when they went through a treatment, 84 00:03:29,514 --> 00:03:31,294 but they had a hard time maintaining 85 00:03:31,914 --> 00:03:34,235 the improvements that they made. And I would 86 00:03:34,235 --> 00:03:36,394 say that that's what started me on it. 87 00:03:36,394 --> 00:03:37,694 When I was in the hospital, 88 00:03:38,074 --> 00:03:40,715 I started, you know, I created a group 89 00:03:40,715 --> 00:03:41,215 where 90 00:03:41,530 --> 00:03:43,930 people with Parkinson's that I'd been treated, they 91 00:03:43,930 --> 00:03:45,769 would come back once a month at the 92 00:03:45,769 --> 00:03:46,269 hospital, 93 00:03:46,569 --> 00:03:48,489 but it wasn't something we could really bill 94 00:03:48,489 --> 00:03:51,370 Medicare for. And I will say that the 95 00:03:51,370 --> 00:03:53,150 hospital was not a big fan 96 00:03:53,784 --> 00:03:56,824 of doing that. So after a while, I 97 00:03:56,824 --> 00:03:59,224 realized it wasn't going to work, working out 98 00:03:59,224 --> 00:04:02,664 of the hospital and really really providing the 99 00:04:02,664 --> 00:04:05,784 level of care that this patient population needs. 100 00:04:05,784 --> 00:04:08,699 So I resigned my position, and I started 101 00:04:08,699 --> 00:04:10,400 looking for another way 102 00:04:10,860 --> 00:04:12,159 where people with Parkinson's 103 00:04:12,460 --> 00:04:13,439 could not only 104 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:17,180 regain their ability to speak, but they could 105 00:04:17,180 --> 00:04:19,500 retain it too. And that took about six 106 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:20,000 years 107 00:04:20,314 --> 00:04:22,474 to get started. And then so I it 108 00:04:22,474 --> 00:04:23,694 was nineteen November 109 00:04:24,074 --> 00:04:26,235 ninety eight when I resigned my position at 110 00:04:26,235 --> 00:04:29,034 the hospital and then Parkinson Boys Project was 111 00:04:29,034 --> 00:04:30,014 created officially 112 00:04:30,394 --> 00:04:32,875 on 12/13/2005. 113 00:04:32,875 --> 00:04:34,495 We are celebrating our 114 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:35,300 twentieth 115 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:36,180 anniversary 116 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,100 this year. Awesome. Congratulations. 117 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,040 It's it's no no small feat by any 118 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,839 means and such a meaningful, meaningful job for 119 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:45,199 lack of better term. I hate to say 120 00:04:45,199 --> 00:04:46,819 it's just a job because I know it's, 121 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:48,944 I'm sure, a lifelong passion for you. But 122 00:04:49,105 --> 00:04:50,805 yeah. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. 123 00:04:51,264 --> 00:04:52,404 Let's dive into, 124 00:04:53,105 --> 00:04:55,444 Samantha. I know you put some some key 125 00:04:55,824 --> 00:04:57,584 facts in in these notes here, and I'd 126 00:04:57,584 --> 00:04:58,944 like to go over them and then dive 127 00:04:58,944 --> 00:05:00,569 into them a little bit more. So, 128 00:05:01,129 --> 00:05:03,770 the incidence of Parkinson's and speech and swallowing 129 00:05:03,770 --> 00:05:06,089 disorders for any SLPs or patients that are 130 00:05:06,089 --> 00:05:06,589 listening, 131 00:05:06,970 --> 00:05:08,889 one out of one hundred adults over the 132 00:05:08,889 --> 00:05:11,710 age of 60 is, is diagnosed with Parkinson's. 133 00:05:12,089 --> 00:05:14,730 Ninety percent of people with Parkinson's struggle with 134 00:05:14,730 --> 00:05:17,814 speech and swallowing. Aspiration pneumonia caused by swallowing 135 00:05:17,875 --> 00:05:19,955 complications is the main cause of death in 136 00:05:19,955 --> 00:05:20,455 Parkinson's, 137 00:05:20,995 --> 00:05:23,154 and only three to four percent of people 138 00:05:23,154 --> 00:05:26,295 with with Parkinson's are receiving speech therapy. So 139 00:05:26,355 --> 00:05:27,634 if you follow it along with that, none 140 00:05:27,634 --> 00:05:28,970 of that math's right. 141 00:05:30,310 --> 00:05:32,069 So there's a lot of patients out there. 142 00:05:32,069 --> 00:05:33,589 Yeah. There's a lot of patients out there 143 00:05:33,589 --> 00:05:35,990 that need us. Oh, there's lots. I don't 144 00:05:35,990 --> 00:05:38,089 even know that there's enough SOPs, 145 00:05:39,589 --> 00:05:41,830 available to treat all of the people with 146 00:05:41,830 --> 00:05:45,105 Parkinson's who need help. And, you know, people 147 00:05:45,105 --> 00:05:47,845 with Parkinson's, they tend to recognize the physical 148 00:05:48,384 --> 00:05:51,345 issues, the prod the balance issues, the problems 149 00:05:51,345 --> 00:05:53,745 with falls, and, you know, not so much 150 00:05:53,745 --> 00:05:56,384 the problems with speech and swallowing. And people 151 00:05:56,384 --> 00:05:58,979 always ask, why is that? Well, if I'm 152 00:05:58,979 --> 00:06:00,979 walking and I trip over a curb and 153 00:06:00,979 --> 00:06:03,139 I fall down, I would, wow, I have 154 00:06:03,139 --> 00:06:03,800 a problem. 155 00:06:04,339 --> 00:06:06,259 But if I go to a restaurant and 156 00:06:06,259 --> 00:06:08,740 the waitress doesn't hear my order and I 157 00:06:08,740 --> 00:06:10,279 end up pointing to the menu, 158 00:06:10,740 --> 00:06:14,074 that kind of passes by. You know, that, 159 00:06:14,074 --> 00:06:17,194 that, that moment passes and then it's a 160 00:06:17,194 --> 00:06:18,095 little bit harder. 161 00:06:18,475 --> 00:06:19,854 Also people with Parkinson's, 162 00:06:20,154 --> 00:06:21,774 there's a sensory deficit 163 00:06:22,314 --> 00:06:24,735 related to Parkinson's where people with Parkinson's 164 00:06:25,035 --> 00:06:26,814 do not hear their voice 165 00:06:27,189 --> 00:06:29,430 the way that other people, when they're speaking, 166 00:06:29,430 --> 00:06:32,069 it doesn't feel the same way to them 167 00:06:32,069 --> 00:06:34,089 as it sounds to others. 168 00:06:34,470 --> 00:06:35,910 And so if you don't think that you 169 00:06:35,910 --> 00:06:38,310 have a problem, then you're not going to 170 00:06:38,310 --> 00:06:39,769 enroll in speech therapy. 171 00:06:40,595 --> 00:06:42,035 It was one of the big problems I 172 00:06:42,035 --> 00:06:43,795 had when I first left the hospital. I 173 00:06:43,795 --> 00:06:44,855 thought, well, I'll just 174 00:06:45,314 --> 00:06:47,475 start a private practice. You know, at that 175 00:06:47,475 --> 00:06:49,795 time, I'll start a private practice and I'll 176 00:06:49,795 --> 00:06:51,014 bill for my services, 177 00:06:51,475 --> 00:06:53,395 but I couldn't get anybody to enroll in 178 00:06:53,395 --> 00:06:55,155 therapy because they didn't know they had a 179 00:06:55,155 --> 00:06:58,220 problem. Yep. Yep. Even those spouses were complaining 180 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,360 and other, you know, other people were leaning 181 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,199 in. They really just chalked it up to, 182 00:07:02,199 --> 00:07:04,680 well, I'm just getting older or that person 183 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:05,980 has a hearing problem. 184 00:07:06,439 --> 00:07:08,600 It's not me. So it's really hard. It's 185 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,568 one of the reasons that we use the 186 00:07:10,568 --> 00:07:13,153 Pay It Forward system at our clinic, a 187 00:07:13,153 --> 00:07:15,739 Parkinson voice project, because people with Parkinson's don't 188 00:07:15,739 --> 00:07:18,325 know they have a problem. And until they 189 00:07:18,325 --> 00:07:20,911 start to get better and they start to 190 00:07:20,911 --> 00:07:23,496 realize, wow. You know what? It's not my 191 00:07:23,496 --> 00:07:25,980 wife. It's not my wife's hearing. It's it's 192 00:07:25,980 --> 00:07:28,379 me. It's my speaking. We use a lot 193 00:07:28,379 --> 00:07:31,180 of audio recording, video recordings so they can 194 00:07:31,180 --> 00:07:34,540 hear themselves talk. And, until they start to 195 00:07:34,540 --> 00:07:37,500 recognize that, again, they're they're not willing to 196 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:39,420 pay for treatment if they don't think they 197 00:07:39,420 --> 00:07:41,475 need it. Yeah. Yeah. But once they get 198 00:07:41,475 --> 00:07:43,175 better, they're very eager 199 00:07:43,715 --> 00:07:45,175 to help somebody else 200 00:07:45,555 --> 00:07:48,115 discover, you know, it helps somebody else go 201 00:07:48,115 --> 00:07:50,115 through the treatment. And that's why I think 202 00:07:50,115 --> 00:07:52,035 pay it forward works very well with the 203 00:07:52,035 --> 00:07:53,254 Parkinson's population. 204 00:07:53,970 --> 00:07:55,009 Awesome. Awesome. 205 00:07:55,330 --> 00:07:56,930 I wanna get to more of that in 206 00:07:56,930 --> 00:07:58,770 a minute, but let's, I wanna go in 207 00:07:58,770 --> 00:07:59,750 order here too. 208 00:08:00,610 --> 00:08:02,129 Tell a little bit about, you know, what 209 00:08:02,129 --> 00:08:04,610 causes the speech and swallowing muscles to become 210 00:08:04,610 --> 00:08:05,509 weak in Parkinson's. 211 00:08:05,889 --> 00:08:08,625 There's a couple different reasons. Well, one, Parkinson's 212 00:08:08,685 --> 00:08:11,025 is characterized by small movements, 213 00:08:11,404 --> 00:08:14,465 and so we recognize that in smaller steps, 214 00:08:14,925 --> 00:08:16,305 in smaller handwriting, 215 00:08:17,085 --> 00:08:19,564 but also the muscles that we use for 216 00:08:19,564 --> 00:08:22,370 speaking and swallowing are moving in smaller 217 00:08:22,750 --> 00:08:25,149 ways. So if somebody's tongue is moving in 218 00:08:25,149 --> 00:08:27,649 a smaller way, reduced range of movement, 219 00:08:28,269 --> 00:08:30,110 they're having trouble when they put the food 220 00:08:30,110 --> 00:08:32,269 in their mouth, trying to move their tongue, 221 00:08:32,269 --> 00:08:33,629 move the food to the back of the 222 00:08:33,629 --> 00:08:35,924 mouth so that they can swallow. And then 223 00:08:35,924 --> 00:08:37,625 when they swallow, those movements 224 00:08:38,164 --> 00:08:41,445 are smaller, also not as effective. And that's 225 00:08:41,445 --> 00:08:42,664 how people with Parkinson's 226 00:08:43,284 --> 00:08:44,825 can start aspirating, 227 00:08:45,924 --> 00:08:48,264 not using enough force when they're swallowing, 228 00:08:49,049 --> 00:08:52,009 the breathing muscles, breath support, not taking deep 229 00:08:52,009 --> 00:08:54,169 enough breaths. They're trailing off at the end 230 00:08:54,169 --> 00:08:57,070 of their sentences. They're not articulating well. 231 00:08:58,090 --> 00:09:00,330 Yeah. So that's part of it. Part of 232 00:09:00,330 --> 00:09:03,325 it is just that Parkinson's is characterized 233 00:09:03,945 --> 00:09:06,504 by smaller movements. It's not that people with 234 00:09:06,504 --> 00:09:08,044 Parkinson's can't produce 235 00:09:08,745 --> 00:09:09,804 normal movements 236 00:09:10,264 --> 00:09:12,924 but it just feels more natural to them 237 00:09:13,100 --> 00:09:15,759 to use those smaller movements. So they're not 238 00:09:15,980 --> 00:09:18,000 using their muscles to their full capacity. 239 00:09:18,379 --> 00:09:21,420 The other part about it is that by 240 00:09:21,420 --> 00:09:24,240 the time somebody with Parkinson's has any symptoms 241 00:09:24,700 --> 00:09:27,315 of the disease, they've already lost 60 to 242 00:09:27,315 --> 00:09:30,134 80% of their dopamine producing cells. 243 00:09:30,674 --> 00:09:34,115 Dopamine is necessary for our automatic movements, for 244 00:09:34,115 --> 00:09:35,654 the automatic motor system. 245 00:09:36,754 --> 00:09:37,495 And so 246 00:09:37,970 --> 00:09:41,649 speech, as you know, talking and swallowing are 247 00:09:41,649 --> 00:09:44,450 usually automatic. We normally don't have to think 248 00:09:44,450 --> 00:09:45,090 about it. 249 00:09:45,649 --> 00:09:46,629 But with Parkinson's, 250 00:09:46,930 --> 00:09:49,670 because there's not enough dopamine, people with Parkinson's 251 00:09:50,404 --> 00:09:53,045 need to learn to use the intentional motor 252 00:09:53,045 --> 00:09:53,545 system, 253 00:09:53,925 --> 00:09:55,625 the pyramidal motor system, 254 00:09:56,004 --> 00:09:58,245 and learn how to be more deliberate. If 255 00:09:58,245 --> 00:10:00,884 they activate the intentional motor system, then they 256 00:10:00,884 --> 00:10:02,504 can make their speech clearer, 257 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:04,660 louder, more articulate. 258 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:06,660 They can swallow better, 259 00:10:07,279 --> 00:10:09,759 but they've got to understand the difference between 260 00:10:09,759 --> 00:10:13,200 automatic movements and intentional movements. Awesome. Thank you. 261 00:10:13,759 --> 00:10:16,000 Share a little bit about for people that 262 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,595 don't know, I have some more questions, but 263 00:10:17,595 --> 00:10:20,735 if people aren't familiar exactly with what SPEAKOUT 264 00:10:20,794 --> 00:10:22,235 is, can you share what that is and 265 00:10:22,235 --> 00:10:23,674 then we'll get into why it's different and 266 00:10:23,674 --> 00:10:26,875 more unique. Mhmm. Yeah. Well, Parkinson Voice Project 267 00:10:26,875 --> 00:10:30,414 developed the SPEAKOUT therapy program in 2010 268 00:10:30,554 --> 00:10:31,534 under the mentorship 269 00:10:31,929 --> 00:10:34,649 of Daniel r Boone. We met doctor Boone 270 00:10:34,649 --> 00:10:35,850 in 2009 271 00:10:35,850 --> 00:10:36,990 as we had started 272 00:10:37,610 --> 00:10:40,090 to develop a program that would not only 273 00:10:40,090 --> 00:10:41,950 help people with Parkinson's regain 274 00:10:42,490 --> 00:10:45,445 their speech and swallowing, but retain it too. 275 00:10:45,445 --> 00:10:47,845 And then we had the fortune of meeting 276 00:10:47,845 --> 00:10:50,965 Doctor. Broon and he talked about intent. In 277 00:10:50,965 --> 00:10:53,365 fact, it was something that he recognized in 278 00:10:53,365 --> 00:10:54,504 the late 1950s. 279 00:10:55,285 --> 00:10:56,985 He was working at a hospital, 280 00:10:58,470 --> 00:10:59,690 in Cleveland 281 00:11:00,070 --> 00:11:02,230 and he was working with a neurologist and 282 00:11:02,230 --> 00:11:05,590 he noticed that when people with Parkinson's would 283 00:11:05,590 --> 00:11:08,230 would count one to 20, they could hardly 284 00:11:08,230 --> 00:11:11,290 be understood. He was just mumbling, speech intelligibility 285 00:11:11,750 --> 00:11:13,904 was poor. But when they had patients 286 00:11:14,365 --> 00:11:15,184 count backwards, 287 00:11:15,644 --> 00:11:18,045 all of a sudden they were louder, clearer, 288 00:11:18,045 --> 00:11:20,605 more articulate. And so that's where intent came 289 00:11:20,605 --> 00:11:23,745 from. So Speak Out Therapy program is unique 290 00:11:23,965 --> 00:11:25,665 that it combines education 291 00:11:26,045 --> 00:11:30,429 first. So learning the difference between automatic speech 292 00:11:30,429 --> 00:11:33,649 versus intentional speech. It involves individual 293 00:11:34,350 --> 00:11:35,169 speech therapy. 294 00:11:35,789 --> 00:11:38,589 As patients get to weeks three or four 295 00:11:38,589 --> 00:11:41,629 of their individual treatment, they start transitioning to 296 00:11:41,629 --> 00:11:44,195 their speak out therapy group, and they attend 297 00:11:44,195 --> 00:11:47,554 that once a week. Something else, before after 298 00:11:47,554 --> 00:11:48,695 a speak out evaluation, 299 00:11:49,634 --> 00:11:51,095 as we're doing the education, 300 00:11:51,875 --> 00:11:54,455 Parkinson Voice Project has also developed 301 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:56,460 speak out therapy materials. 302 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,320 So for example, in The United States, we 303 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,500 will ship a speak out booklet. 304 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:03,100 It is the program 305 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,680 to every patient who is enrolled in speak 306 00:12:06,680 --> 00:12:09,455 out therapy. So patients need the tools to 307 00:12:09,455 --> 00:12:12,254 get better. And I think that is very 308 00:12:12,254 --> 00:12:15,455 important. So therapists for therapy, you know, in 309 00:12:15,455 --> 00:12:17,634 the bio that you read, I talk about 310 00:12:18,095 --> 00:12:19,934 how we not only need to have the 311 00:12:19,934 --> 00:12:21,955 clinical skills to help patients, 312 00:12:22,415 --> 00:12:24,209 but we also have to adhere to the 313 00:12:24,209 --> 00:12:25,189 business practices. 314 00:12:25,809 --> 00:12:28,389 At Parkinson Voice Project, we don't bill Medicare, 315 00:12:28,610 --> 00:12:31,829 but we developed the Speak Out Therapy program 316 00:12:31,970 --> 00:12:34,149 to fit within Medicare guidelines. 317 00:12:34,769 --> 00:12:37,250 So it's not a program that we thought, 318 00:12:37,250 --> 00:12:39,125 well, you know, we don't have to worry 319 00:12:39,125 --> 00:12:41,204 about that. So we can treat patients, you 320 00:12:41,204 --> 00:12:43,125 know, see them for as long as we 321 00:12:43,125 --> 00:12:45,764 want and, you know, have long treatment sessions 322 00:12:45,764 --> 00:12:48,184 and everything. As we develop speak out therapy, 323 00:12:48,324 --> 00:12:50,345 we developed it with the Medicare guidelines 324 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:51,420 in mind. 325 00:12:51,879 --> 00:12:54,040 So we have developed the Speak Out Therapy 326 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,840 materials for therapists to use so that they 327 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:58,220 don't have to spend time 328 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:00,059 developing their own materials, 329 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,920 which they don't have time. SOPs do not 330 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:03,660 have time 331 00:13:04,125 --> 00:13:06,524 to create their own materials and so that's 332 00:13:06,524 --> 00:13:07,985 a big part of it. So 333 00:13:08,285 --> 00:13:08,785 education, 334 00:13:09,165 --> 00:13:10,865 having the right tools available, 335 00:13:11,245 --> 00:13:12,465 individual therapy, 336 00:13:12,845 --> 00:13:13,665 group therapy, 337 00:13:14,044 --> 00:13:17,165 daily home practice, and then every six months 338 00:13:17,165 --> 00:13:19,024 we bring patients back individually 339 00:13:19,389 --> 00:13:21,309 for what we call speak out refresher. If 340 00:13:21,309 --> 00:13:24,769 you go on our website at parkinsonvoiceproject.org 341 00:13:24,909 --> 00:13:26,909 and look up the speak out therapy program, 342 00:13:26,909 --> 00:13:29,149 you'll see that the program is depicted in 343 00:13:29,149 --> 00:13:31,389 a circle. We call it the circle of 344 00:13:31,389 --> 00:13:34,449 intent, and that outlines all the different components 345 00:13:34,514 --> 00:13:36,674 of the Speak Out Therapy program, and it's 346 00:13:36,674 --> 00:13:39,154 a circle because it never ends. And that's 347 00:13:39,154 --> 00:13:41,815 what people with Parkinson's need to understand too. 348 00:13:41,955 --> 00:13:43,554 You can't just go through a month of 349 00:13:43,554 --> 00:13:46,115 speech therapy and say, okay. That's it. You're 350 00:13:46,115 --> 00:13:49,014 always fighting against the progression of the disease. 351 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,399 So people with Parkinson's, once they enter the 352 00:13:51,399 --> 00:13:52,860 Speak Out Therapy program, 353 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,160 they're in it for life. All right, talk 354 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,340 a little bit about what is the, Parkinson 355 00:13:57,399 --> 00:14:00,940 Voice Project's Campaign to Reach America? This happened 356 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,279 during the pandemic when we started to treat 357 00:14:04,279 --> 00:14:04,779 patients 358 00:14:05,214 --> 00:14:06,034 using teletherapy. 359 00:14:06,894 --> 00:14:07,875 Before the pandemic, 360 00:14:08,495 --> 00:14:10,575 most patients, they would have to come to 361 00:14:10,575 --> 00:14:13,214 our clinic to receive treatment. But during the 362 00:14:13,214 --> 00:14:16,095 pandemic, we were forced to not just us. 363 00:14:16,095 --> 00:14:18,209 It's not that we weren't ready to do 364 00:14:18,209 --> 00:14:18,709 teletherapy, 365 00:14:19,250 --> 00:14:21,669 but patients weren't ready to do teletherapy. 366 00:14:22,370 --> 00:14:24,370 But during the pandemic, all of a sudden, 367 00:14:24,370 --> 00:14:26,850 we could treat patients all throughout Texas. We're 368 00:14:26,850 --> 00:14:29,970 licensed in Texas. So we're limited to Texas, 369 00:14:29,970 --> 00:14:31,889 but we could treat patients from anywhere in 370 00:14:31,889 --> 00:14:32,389 Texas 371 00:14:32,815 --> 00:14:34,215 from our clinic. And, 372 00:14:34,654 --> 00:14:37,315 since we weren't charging, since we weren't billing 373 00:14:37,615 --> 00:14:40,195 for our services and that kind of eliminated 374 00:14:40,415 --> 00:14:41,875 some big bear barriers. 375 00:14:42,335 --> 00:14:43,394 One, transportation 376 00:14:43,855 --> 00:14:46,769 was no longer an issue and then the 377 00:14:46,769 --> 00:14:48,710 insurance or financial limitations, 378 00:14:49,090 --> 00:14:50,850 you know, has never been an issue for 379 00:14:50,850 --> 00:14:52,850 us. So we thought, well, what if we 380 00:14:52,850 --> 00:14:55,730 could replicate this? All we need is one 381 00:14:55,730 --> 00:14:56,230 clinic 382 00:14:56,690 --> 00:14:58,850 in every state that would do what we're 383 00:14:58,850 --> 00:15:00,549 doing, not charged for 384 00:15:01,544 --> 00:15:02,524 speak out therapy 385 00:15:02,985 --> 00:15:04,284 and specialize 386 00:15:04,825 --> 00:15:05,644 in teletherapy, 387 00:15:06,024 --> 00:15:07,325 be able to treat anyone 388 00:15:07,704 --> 00:15:10,424 in their state and do it online. And 389 00:15:10,424 --> 00:15:12,424 that's the campaign to reach America. It's a 390 00:15:12,424 --> 00:15:13,464 $20,000,000 391 00:15:13,464 --> 00:15:13,964 campaign 392 00:15:14,319 --> 00:15:16,720 where we are going to establish Speak Out 393 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,299 Therapy and Research Centers across The US, 394 00:15:19,839 --> 00:15:21,539 so that every American 395 00:15:22,079 --> 00:15:23,059 has access 396 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,839 to Speak Out Therapy. So far we have 397 00:15:25,839 --> 00:15:26,720 29 398 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,215 states that are covered. These clinics, these centers 399 00:15:30,215 --> 00:15:33,414 are housed within university speech clinic. So that's 400 00:15:33,414 --> 00:15:35,975 how we get away with the not billing 401 00:15:35,975 --> 00:15:36,634 the Medicare. 402 00:15:37,815 --> 00:15:40,980 You know, those clinics. So these centers are 403 00:15:40,980 --> 00:15:44,419 treating patients, they are conducting research, which we 404 00:15:44,419 --> 00:15:45,480 need, and 405 00:15:45,940 --> 00:15:49,399 they are training their graduate students, training future 406 00:15:49,620 --> 00:15:53,554 speech language pathologists. Awesome. That's a incredible, incredible 407 00:15:53,554 --> 00:15:55,875 idea. So let's let's dive more into this, 408 00:15:55,875 --> 00:15:56,855 the pay it forward 409 00:15:57,235 --> 00:15:59,154 funding model. You know, where did it come 410 00:15:59,154 --> 00:16:01,315 from? Whose idea was it? How was it 411 00:16:01,315 --> 00:16:03,315 sustainable? How does it keep going? You know, 412 00:16:03,315 --> 00:16:05,319 it sounds sort of almost like this pie 413 00:16:05,319 --> 00:16:07,079 in the sky concept. Like, it would just 414 00:16:07,079 --> 00:16:09,720 be so cool for so many SLPs or 415 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:11,399 so many patients to have this model, but 416 00:16:11,399 --> 00:16:13,399 how does it actually work? Well, it says 417 00:16:13,399 --> 00:16:15,959 it's not easy. Yeah. So I came up 418 00:16:15,959 --> 00:16:18,620 with the idea in 02/2008, 419 00:16:18,975 --> 00:16:21,855 Parkinson voice pro originally we were working out 420 00:16:21,855 --> 00:16:24,095 of a physical therapy clinic. Well, first we 421 00:16:24,095 --> 00:16:25,934 were at my house. So first we were 422 00:16:25,934 --> 00:16:26,834 at my house, 423 00:16:27,134 --> 00:16:30,014 then I ended up having 70 people showing 424 00:16:30,014 --> 00:16:32,334 up every month for group. It was just 425 00:16:32,334 --> 00:16:33,954 getting very difficult. 426 00:16:34,490 --> 00:16:37,289 And so we moved to a physical therapy 427 00:16:37,289 --> 00:16:39,450 clinic and they were going Medicare. And while 428 00:16:39,450 --> 00:16:41,289 we were there, you know, we had to 429 00:16:41,289 --> 00:16:44,009 turn people away. Some people couldn't afford the 430 00:16:44,009 --> 00:16:44,909 20%. 431 00:16:45,129 --> 00:16:47,529 We had young onset patients who weren't old 432 00:16:47,529 --> 00:16:50,024 enough to be on Medicare and their insurance 433 00:16:50,085 --> 00:16:52,004 wouldn't cover. And so that was, you know, 434 00:16:52,004 --> 00:16:53,605 we were starting to see this is very 435 00:16:53,605 --> 00:16:54,105 complicated 436 00:16:54,644 --> 00:16:56,245 to be able to do this and to 437 00:16:56,245 --> 00:16:56,985 build Medicare. 438 00:16:57,365 --> 00:16:59,144 So we were moving into 439 00:16:59,605 --> 00:17:03,205 our our own space. There was 4,000 square 440 00:17:03,205 --> 00:17:03,690 feet 441 00:17:04,170 --> 00:17:05,690 foot building, and we were gonna move in 442 00:17:05,690 --> 00:17:06,190 there. 443 00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:09,289 And what happened was Medicare had put a 444 00:17:09,289 --> 00:17:10,910 freeze on giving 445 00:17:11,289 --> 00:17:14,009 licenses to any new clinics and at least 446 00:17:14,009 --> 00:17:15,450 in our area. I don't know if it 447 00:17:15,450 --> 00:17:16,190 was nationwide 448 00:17:16,490 --> 00:17:18,404 or just in our area, but we couldn't 449 00:17:18,404 --> 00:17:19,865 get a Medicare license. 450 00:17:20,164 --> 00:17:22,325 So, I yeah. I took my legal pad 451 00:17:22,325 --> 00:17:23,384 and I had an idea 452 00:17:24,325 --> 00:17:26,565 on on one side. This is 02/2008, 453 00:17:26,565 --> 00:17:28,965 you know, put on one side everything we 454 00:17:28,965 --> 00:17:30,644 would have to do if we were billing 455 00:17:30,644 --> 00:17:31,144 Medicare. 456 00:17:31,579 --> 00:17:33,180 And on the other side, what would happen 457 00:17:33,180 --> 00:17:34,899 if we didn't go Medicare? And all of 458 00:17:34,899 --> 00:17:36,460 a sudden when I looked at it, I 459 00:17:36,460 --> 00:17:39,359 thought we wouldn't need a Medicare billing specialist. 460 00:17:39,900 --> 00:17:41,599 We do not need a billing office. 461 00:17:42,140 --> 00:17:44,700 We don't need to verify insurance. And at 462 00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:46,615 that time you couldn't do it online. On 463 00:17:46,615 --> 00:17:48,535 that time, you had to call the insurance 464 00:17:48,535 --> 00:17:50,694 company, and you'd be on the phone for 465 00:17:50,694 --> 00:17:52,714 twenty minutes trying to do that. 466 00:17:53,015 --> 00:17:55,035 We wouldn't have to do evaluations, 467 00:17:55,494 --> 00:17:57,674 fax them to the doctors, have the doctors 468 00:17:57,734 --> 00:17:59,950 sign them, bring them back. And then we 469 00:17:59,950 --> 00:18:02,529 were treating patients. We were doing the refreshers. 470 00:18:02,910 --> 00:18:04,990 So sometimes it was three months. We would 471 00:18:04,990 --> 00:18:06,750 bring a patient back in three months if 472 00:18:06,750 --> 00:18:08,830 they needed it or six months and, you 473 00:18:08,830 --> 00:18:10,990 know, write the you know, get the script, 474 00:18:10,990 --> 00:18:13,150 you know, write the eval, send it back, 475 00:18:13,150 --> 00:18:14,684 you know, keep track of all of that. 476 00:18:14,765 --> 00:18:16,445 And I went to our board and I 477 00:18:16,445 --> 00:18:18,605 said, I think that we'll be better off 478 00:18:18,605 --> 00:18:19,904 if we don't charge anybody 479 00:18:20,605 --> 00:18:23,325 for therapy, and we use pay it forward 480 00:18:23,325 --> 00:18:26,125 instead. We ask so patients receive all the 481 00:18:26,125 --> 00:18:28,359 therapy they need. And at the end they're 482 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,679 given an opportunity to pay it forward, make 483 00:18:30,679 --> 00:18:32,679 a donation to help the next person go 484 00:18:32,679 --> 00:18:34,440 through treatment. Now I know it sounds like, 485 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:36,679 oh, that was, you know, so easy. It 486 00:18:36,679 --> 00:18:37,259 it wasn't. 487 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,480 The way that we well, one, we're a 488 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,200 nonprofit. So I have had some therapists reach 489 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,404 out who who have a private practice and 490 00:18:44,404 --> 00:18:45,845 want to do this, but we are a 491 00:18:45,845 --> 00:18:46,345 nonprofit. 492 00:18:46,724 --> 00:18:47,924 So we have to do that to be 493 00:18:47,924 --> 00:18:50,825 able to accept donation. And at the very 494 00:18:51,125 --> 00:18:51,625 beginning, 495 00:18:52,005 --> 00:18:53,065 our board president 496 00:18:53,445 --> 00:18:55,525 made a $400,000 497 00:18:55,525 --> 00:18:58,490 gift, the Parkinson Voice Project. And so with 498 00:18:58,490 --> 00:19:01,529 that money, we were we had our rent 499 00:19:01,529 --> 00:19:04,490 paid for for five years. Then I went 500 00:19:04,490 --> 00:19:05,470 to other 501 00:19:05,929 --> 00:19:08,970 donors, other patients I had been treating. Again, 502 00:19:08,970 --> 00:19:11,710 you know, I've been doing this since 1999. 503 00:19:11,769 --> 00:19:13,544 We started in 02/2005. 504 00:19:13,544 --> 00:19:16,024 So when Parkinson's Voice Project started, we were 505 00:19:16,024 --> 00:19:19,144 in that physical therapy clinic in 2005 506 00:19:19,144 --> 00:19:20,585 and then this is 02/2008. 507 00:19:20,585 --> 00:19:22,585 And so I went to donors and I 508 00:19:22,585 --> 00:19:25,484 asked them to make a multi year commitment. 509 00:19:25,690 --> 00:19:29,130 So some donors donated 5,000 a year for 510 00:19:29,130 --> 00:19:29,869 three years, 511 00:19:30,170 --> 00:19:33,309 10,000 a year for five years, dollars 2,000 512 00:19:33,529 --> 00:19:36,090 a year for three years. And so what 513 00:19:36,090 --> 00:19:38,109 we did, we secure some donations. 514 00:19:38,410 --> 00:19:41,194 So that's what started. In order to start 515 00:19:41,194 --> 00:19:42,794 paying it forward, you have to have some 516 00:19:42,794 --> 00:19:45,274 money first. And then from there, you know, 517 00:19:45,274 --> 00:19:47,375 you've got to kick it off. From there, 518 00:19:47,434 --> 00:19:49,134 then you start treating patients. 519 00:19:49,994 --> 00:19:51,835 You know, we had our rent covered, so 520 00:19:51,835 --> 00:19:54,059 we knew we were okay there. And then 521 00:19:54,059 --> 00:19:57,419 we started treating. And then again, patients were 522 00:19:57,419 --> 00:19:58,240 so grateful, 523 00:19:59,419 --> 00:20:01,679 that they started making donations 524 00:20:01,980 --> 00:20:04,859 afterward. I would say, I don't know that, 525 00:20:05,419 --> 00:20:06,884 I do want to bring up up something 526 00:20:06,884 --> 00:20:09,285 for speech pathologists who might be thinking about 527 00:20:09,285 --> 00:20:11,045 this and it's a different way of thinking 528 00:20:11,045 --> 00:20:13,205 about it. You know, some, I would say 529 00:20:13,205 --> 00:20:15,945 that some SOPs, they want to help people 530 00:20:16,404 --> 00:20:18,345 who don't have the resources 531 00:20:19,125 --> 00:20:22,409 to receive therapy. So, you know, somebody might 532 00:20:22,409 --> 00:20:22,890 start, 533 00:20:23,690 --> 00:20:24,349 an organization 534 00:20:25,049 --> 00:20:28,250 to treat people with traumatic brain injury, let's 535 00:20:28,250 --> 00:20:30,409 say, and they don't have insurance and can't 536 00:20:30,409 --> 00:20:32,169 get the treatment at a hospital. But we 537 00:20:32,169 --> 00:20:34,484 didn't do that. We didn't say we're only 538 00:20:34,484 --> 00:20:36,964 going to treat people with Parkinson's who don't 539 00:20:36,964 --> 00:20:39,605 have insurance or don't have the resources. We 540 00:20:39,605 --> 00:20:42,724 opened it up to any person with Parkinson's. 541 00:20:42,724 --> 00:20:44,585 So there were people with Parkinson's 542 00:20:44,884 --> 00:20:47,605 who had insurance. We didn't bill it. They 543 00:20:47,605 --> 00:20:49,869 could have used it. There were people with 544 00:20:49,869 --> 00:20:50,369 Parkinson's 545 00:20:50,670 --> 00:20:52,130 who had family foundations, 546 00:20:52,430 --> 00:20:54,049 people who had the resources 547 00:20:54,750 --> 00:20:57,470 to make a large donation. There were other 548 00:20:57,470 --> 00:21:00,269 people, your 30 year old young onset patient 549 00:21:00,269 --> 00:21:02,509 trying to raise their family who couldn't. So 550 00:21:02,509 --> 00:21:04,724 they'd make a small donation, and that's 551 00:21:05,204 --> 00:21:06,804 okay. But do you see the difference that 552 00:21:06,804 --> 00:21:08,484 if I, if we were to say I'm 553 00:21:08,484 --> 00:21:11,444 only gonna treat this organization is for people 554 00:21:11,444 --> 00:21:14,005 with young onset Parkinson's who can't get treated 555 00:21:14,005 --> 00:21:16,484 otherwise. Yep. That would be very different. So 556 00:21:16,484 --> 00:21:18,244 you have to open it up. And so 557 00:21:18,244 --> 00:21:20,880 it's open to everybody. And I think that's 558 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,539 one of the reasons we've we've been successful. 559 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:25,380 And I would say, 560 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,059 that it was hard for people with Parkinson's 561 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:32,319 to receive the speech therapy, the level of 562 00:21:32,319 --> 00:21:34,419 care we were giving in a hospital 563 00:21:35,095 --> 00:21:37,335 setting. So if people are able to get 564 00:21:37,335 --> 00:21:39,974 that treatment, then there's no reason to start 565 00:21:39,974 --> 00:21:42,454 a nonprofit. That's another way is that it 566 00:21:42,454 --> 00:21:44,134 wouldn't have worked. I mean, if somebody could 567 00:21:44,134 --> 00:21:47,095 have just gone to their hospital and gotten 568 00:21:47,095 --> 00:21:49,014 the one on one treatment and gotten the 569 00:21:49,014 --> 00:21:51,089 weekly groups, So they could have done that. 570 00:21:51,089 --> 00:21:53,490 If the hospital and Medicare would pay for 571 00:21:53,490 --> 00:21:54,710 that at that level, 572 00:21:55,009 --> 00:21:56,529 there would have been no reason to start 573 00:21:56,529 --> 00:21:58,529 a nonprofit or to do it. But but 574 00:21:58,529 --> 00:22:01,190 because people couldn't get it Yep. And that's 575 00:22:01,250 --> 00:22:04,065 that's where it worked. If somebody needs intensive 576 00:22:04,284 --> 00:22:06,944 swallowing therapy beyond speak out therapy, 577 00:22:07,565 --> 00:22:10,365 we will refer them to a hospital. Okay. 578 00:22:10,365 --> 00:22:12,224 So there's no reason for the nonprofit 579 00:22:12,684 --> 00:22:15,105 to take in that expense or for donors 580 00:22:15,164 --> 00:22:17,450 to pay for that because there are lots 581 00:22:17,589 --> 00:22:20,329 of SOPs who are trained in dysphagia 582 00:22:20,789 --> 00:22:23,029 Yep. And can do that specific. So you 583 00:22:23,029 --> 00:22:24,869 see, I think the nonprofit Yeah. Thank you 584 00:22:24,869 --> 00:22:27,269 for clarifying that. Yeah. You have to find 585 00:22:27,269 --> 00:22:28,009 the issues 586 00:22:28,549 --> 00:22:30,024 where where it's lacking 587 00:22:30,325 --> 00:22:32,244 and and then that's why we need the 588 00:22:32,244 --> 00:22:34,644 nonprofit to take it. Otherwise we wouldn't do 589 00:22:34,644 --> 00:22:36,184 it. So I think that's important 590 00:22:36,565 --> 00:22:39,284 for therapists to understand. If they're trying to 591 00:22:39,284 --> 00:22:40,724 provide something that is, 592 00:22:41,444 --> 00:22:44,559 readily accessible somewhere else, then there is not 593 00:22:44,559 --> 00:22:46,500 a reason to start a nonprofit. 594 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,119 Yep. Yep. Awesome. Thank you for explaining that. 595 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:50,559 I know so many you know, I've just 596 00:22:50,559 --> 00:22:52,160 heard through through the years, you know, they 597 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,080 have this really cool funding model and people 598 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:55,920 are like, how does that actually work? Like, 599 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,224 how does that actually work? So Well, one 600 00:22:58,224 --> 00:22:59,525 thing that's very important 601 00:22:59,904 --> 00:23:00,404 is 602 00:23:00,944 --> 00:23:03,605 that donations have nothing to do with treatment. 603 00:23:03,664 --> 00:23:06,704 And that is one point that's very, very 604 00:23:06,704 --> 00:23:09,044 important, very important for the IRS, 605 00:23:09,345 --> 00:23:09,845 everything. 606 00:23:11,029 --> 00:23:13,429 The it's that you evaluate a patient and 607 00:23:13,429 --> 00:23:14,490 you make your recommendations 608 00:23:14,950 --> 00:23:17,589 based on the evaluation. You give the patient 609 00:23:17,589 --> 00:23:19,429 the treatment they need. Then they're given an 610 00:23:19,429 --> 00:23:21,929 opportunity to make a donation, but that donation 611 00:23:21,990 --> 00:23:23,904 has nothing to do with their treatment. If 612 00:23:23,904 --> 00:23:26,224 somebody makes a million dollar gift when they're 613 00:23:26,224 --> 00:23:27,664 not moving up to the top, you know, 614 00:23:27,664 --> 00:23:29,525 we're not gonna treat them any differently 615 00:23:29,984 --> 00:23:31,744 than the person who can't afford, you know, 616 00:23:31,744 --> 00:23:34,644 who isn't able to do that. That's really 617 00:23:34,865 --> 00:23:35,365 important. 618 00:23:35,904 --> 00:23:39,049 I had another clinic that started something like 619 00:23:39,049 --> 00:23:41,210 this, and then they started to think, oh, 620 00:23:41,210 --> 00:23:42,809 well, you know, okay. So I need to 621 00:23:42,970 --> 00:23:44,809 no. We don't do that. No. It's not 622 00:23:44,809 --> 00:23:47,529 right. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Samantha. 623 00:23:47,529 --> 00:23:48,910 This has been an awesome conversation. 624 00:23:49,769 --> 00:23:51,849 Share with me a little bit more about, 625 00:23:51,849 --> 00:23:53,744 you know, if if there's an SLP that 626 00:23:54,144 --> 00:23:56,224 isn't familiar with SpeakOut, where can they go 627 00:23:56,224 --> 00:23:57,585 to learn more? Where can they go to 628 00:23:57,585 --> 00:23:58,085 get, 629 00:23:59,265 --> 00:24:01,664 pardon my lack of of understanding too? Is 630 00:24:01,664 --> 00:24:03,684 it is is SpeakOut like a certification 631 00:24:04,065 --> 00:24:05,984 or is it Yeah. Training? Yeah. So so 632 00:24:05,984 --> 00:24:07,664 let's go in let's go into that. Yeah. 633 00:24:07,664 --> 00:24:11,819 We can go to parkinsonvoiceproject.org. 634 00:24:11,819 --> 00:24:13,839 And and I wanna say park it's parkinson 635 00:24:14,140 --> 00:24:17,740 without an apostrophe at parkinsonvoiceproject.org. 636 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:19,099 And you can look up the speak out 637 00:24:19,099 --> 00:24:21,179 therapy program. You can also look up the 638 00:24:21,179 --> 00:24:24,079 course, the certification course for SLPs. 639 00:24:24,755 --> 00:24:27,235 And what I want SLPs to know, there 640 00:24:27,235 --> 00:24:28,615 are lots of benefits, 641 00:24:29,715 --> 00:24:31,095 even beyond Parkinson's 642 00:24:31,475 --> 00:24:32,855 for becoming certified 643 00:24:33,394 --> 00:24:34,615 in speak out therapy. 644 00:24:35,075 --> 00:24:37,154 It's a ten and a half hour online 645 00:24:37,154 --> 00:24:40,259 course, but when an SOP is certified, 646 00:24:41,039 --> 00:24:44,640 they also receive free access to our e 647 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:45,140 library. 648 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,240 I'm really proud of the e library. In 649 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,674 the e library is the Speak Out booklet 650 00:24:50,815 --> 00:24:53,554 and some other booklets that we have created 651 00:24:54,174 --> 00:24:56,034 that therapists can use in therapy. 652 00:24:57,134 --> 00:24:59,154 Also a whole set of flashcards. 653 00:24:59,934 --> 00:25:01,934 Flashcards that could be used I mean, they 654 00:25:01,934 --> 00:25:03,954 could be used some of them I mean, 655 00:25:04,014 --> 00:25:06,570 any adult, any adult client. It doesn't have 656 00:25:06,570 --> 00:25:07,950 to be Parkinson's. So, 657 00:25:08,329 --> 00:25:10,910 that was an area that was really lacking. 658 00:25:11,289 --> 00:25:13,950 As I was traveling around the country, visiting 659 00:25:14,009 --> 00:25:16,250 our speak out therapy and research centers, and 660 00:25:16,250 --> 00:25:17,710 I'd go into these university 661 00:25:18,375 --> 00:25:21,494 clinics and into their supply closet. You'd go 662 00:25:21,494 --> 00:25:23,894 in and there'd be this big closet full 663 00:25:23,894 --> 00:25:24,394 of, 664 00:25:25,095 --> 00:25:27,654 materials for children. And some of them had 665 00:25:27,654 --> 00:25:30,695 none for adults or one little one little 666 00:25:30,695 --> 00:25:33,116 shelf. And so we created these materials for 667 00:25:33,116 --> 00:25:33,201 speak out, but then I realized, oh my 668 00:25:33,201 --> 00:25:34,200 gosh. I mean, this is this is for 669 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:34,940 speak out, 670 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,159 but then I realized, oh my gosh. I 671 00:25:37,159 --> 00:25:38,679 mean, this is this is, like, a really 672 00:25:38,679 --> 00:25:39,339 big deal 673 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,599 that they can use these materials because not 674 00:25:42,599 --> 00:25:45,240 everybody is like Parkinson Voice Project where they're 675 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,640 only treating people with Parkinson's. So I think 676 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,419 the e library is incredible. 677 00:25:50,015 --> 00:25:52,115 We do sell the flashcards 678 00:25:52,495 --> 00:25:55,134 on our website so people can go look 679 00:25:55,134 --> 00:25:56,495 at them if they're 680 00:25:57,055 --> 00:25:58,815 you know, maybe they're not treating people with 681 00:25:58,815 --> 00:26:01,154 Parkinson's. They still like to use those flashcards, 682 00:26:01,375 --> 00:26:04,769 but they're specifically designed for adults. The photographs 683 00:26:04,909 --> 00:26:06,929 were taken by one of our patients, 684 00:26:07,309 --> 00:26:09,710 so we didn't want to use cartoons or 685 00:26:09,710 --> 00:26:12,909 drawings. So they're real photograph you know, photographs 686 00:26:12,909 --> 00:26:13,889 of real objects, 687 00:26:14,315 --> 00:26:16,575 large print four by six cards. 688 00:26:17,115 --> 00:26:20,154 But something else, when a an SOP is 689 00:26:20,154 --> 00:26:21,615 certified in a SPEAKOUT 690 00:26:21,914 --> 00:26:22,414 therapy, 691 00:26:22,755 --> 00:26:23,255 all 692 00:26:23,595 --> 00:26:24,654 of their patients 693 00:26:25,194 --> 00:26:25,694 also 694 00:26:25,994 --> 00:26:27,375 receive free access 695 00:26:27,869 --> 00:26:30,349 to the SPEAKOUT e library. So we want 696 00:26:30,349 --> 00:26:33,230 to give both the SOPs and the patients 697 00:26:33,230 --> 00:26:35,490 the tools they need to be successful. 698 00:26:35,869 --> 00:26:38,109 And so our donors pay for that. Our 699 00:26:38,109 --> 00:26:39,569 donors pay. It's not 700 00:26:39,869 --> 00:26:40,369 inexpensive 701 00:26:41,230 --> 00:26:43,805 to to create the e library and the 702 00:26:43,805 --> 00:26:45,805 materials and keep up, you know, with the 703 00:26:45,805 --> 00:26:47,265 software and all of that. 704 00:26:47,884 --> 00:26:50,205 And so it's it's a gift from our 705 00:26:50,205 --> 00:26:52,384 donors to people with Parkinson's 706 00:26:52,684 --> 00:26:55,440 and the SLPs that are treating them. We 707 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:55,940 also 708 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:58,819 provide free training for graduate students. 709 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,460 The graduate students cannot become 710 00:27:01,839 --> 00:27:04,240 certified in speak out therapy. We think grad 711 00:27:04,319 --> 00:27:06,339 graduate students are too busy in school 712 00:27:07,279 --> 00:27:08,960 to do that, and I don't want them 713 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,464 to take the speak out therapy course. We 714 00:27:11,464 --> 00:27:14,125 give them so every SOP that's certified 715 00:27:14,585 --> 00:27:17,304 also gets a code for all their students, 716 00:27:17,304 --> 00:27:18,585 and they can give it to as many 717 00:27:18,585 --> 00:27:21,224 students as they want. And that's wonderful because 718 00:27:21,224 --> 00:27:24,039 as students are working in their practicums, then 719 00:27:24,039 --> 00:27:25,980 they get to learn about Parkinson's, 720 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,320 they get to learn about the program and 721 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,480 get to practice with, you know, with their 722 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:31,980 supervisor. 723 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,759 But then, you know, if they take the 724 00:27:34,759 --> 00:27:36,664 course their second semester 725 00:27:37,205 --> 00:27:39,164 of grad school, that's a lot, you know, 726 00:27:39,164 --> 00:27:40,805 a lot by the time they start working, 727 00:27:40,805 --> 00:27:42,884 they know where they wanna work. That's why 728 00:27:42,884 --> 00:27:44,424 we don't certify the students. 729 00:27:44,805 --> 00:27:46,325 This is too much. We want them to 730 00:27:46,325 --> 00:27:48,085 take the course later and we'll give them 731 00:27:48,085 --> 00:27:50,480 a discount when they graduate. But I'm real 732 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,960 proud of the graduate student training. We trained 733 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,079 over 4,000 graduate students last year. And so 734 00:27:56,079 --> 00:27:58,579 that probably besides helping people with Parkinson's, 735 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,440 I would say training our future speech language 736 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:01,940 pathologists 737 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:04,394 is is what I'm I'm very proud of 738 00:28:04,394 --> 00:28:07,194 that. Awesome. This has been such a fun, 739 00:28:07,194 --> 00:28:09,914 informative conversation. Thank you so much. I I 740 00:28:09,994 --> 00:28:11,674 I've learned I learned a ton today too. 741 00:28:11,674 --> 00:28:13,515 I know it's speak out is such a 742 00:28:13,515 --> 00:28:14,335 well respected 743 00:28:14,634 --> 00:28:17,160 program and an organization. Parks and Voice Project 744 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:19,480 is such a respected organization. And so I'm 745 00:28:19,559 --> 00:28:21,720 I'd love to hear the history and the 746 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,600 background and the meaning directly from you. Anything 747 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,640 appreciate you saying that. Yeah. Yeah. Anything else 748 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:29,160 you'd like to share with the people? I 749 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:30,460 just want SLPs 750 00:28:31,365 --> 00:28:32,105 to know 751 00:28:32,805 --> 00:28:33,204 that 752 00:28:33,684 --> 00:28:35,924 yes. Let me let me start over. 753 00:28:36,724 --> 00:28:39,625 When we created the Speak Out Therapy program, 754 00:28:40,005 --> 00:28:41,845 it wasn't that we thought we would treat 755 00:28:41,845 --> 00:28:44,640 everybody at our clinic. We designed it so 756 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:46,820 that we want every person with Parkinson's 757 00:28:47,519 --> 00:28:48,580 to have access 758 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,119 to the to a to a program that 759 00:28:51,119 --> 00:28:53,440 will help them not only regain but retain 760 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,019 their speech. And the way I want SOPs 761 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:58,820 to think about it is Parkinson Voice Project 762 00:28:58,880 --> 00:28:59,914 is supplementing 763 00:29:00,615 --> 00:29:03,575 the care, the treatment that SOPs are able 764 00:29:03,575 --> 00:29:06,055 to provide in the Medicare world. So for 765 00:29:06,055 --> 00:29:07,994 example, by giving the SOPs 766 00:29:08,375 --> 00:29:10,715 and their patients the therapy materials, 767 00:29:11,335 --> 00:29:13,975 that supplements what they're able to do. In 768 00:29:13,975 --> 00:29:14,475 addition, 769 00:29:15,150 --> 00:29:16,529 Parkinson Voice Project 770 00:29:16,830 --> 00:29:18,769 host five days a week 771 00:29:19,150 --> 00:29:22,269 speak out home practice sessions. So twenty minute 772 00:29:22,269 --> 00:29:23,250 practice sessions 773 00:29:23,549 --> 00:29:25,869 where people with Parkinson's from anywhere in the 774 00:29:25,869 --> 00:29:28,109 world can come and do the speak out 775 00:29:28,109 --> 00:29:28,609 exercises. 776 00:29:29,835 --> 00:29:31,835 And we record the sessions so they can 777 00:29:31,835 --> 00:29:34,714 use the recordings every day. So, again, that's 778 00:29:34,714 --> 00:29:35,855 a way to supplement 779 00:29:36,154 --> 00:29:38,634 the care that the SLPs are getting. It's 780 00:29:38,634 --> 00:29:41,534 hard in a Medicare world, both for patients 781 00:29:41,595 --> 00:29:42,654 and for SLPs, 782 00:29:43,319 --> 00:29:46,119 to provide the level and the intensity of 783 00:29:46,119 --> 00:29:48,679 care that people with Parkinson's need. They need 784 00:29:48,679 --> 00:29:52,059 a lot of therapy and it's very difficult. 785 00:29:52,279 --> 00:29:53,740 And so we're working 786 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,759 together and that is what I think makes 787 00:29:56,759 --> 00:29:57,259 it 788 00:29:57,585 --> 00:29:58,325 so special. 789 00:29:58,704 --> 00:30:01,184 We know that we can't treat every person 790 00:30:01,184 --> 00:30:03,984 with Parkinson's who needs the help, but we 791 00:30:03,984 --> 00:30:05,525 can help the other SLPs 792 00:30:06,144 --> 00:30:08,544 to know how to do it, provide them 793 00:30:08,544 --> 00:30:11,251 continuing education, and then provide these added resources 794 00:30:11,251 --> 00:30:11,518 and supplement the care that they're giving. Hope 795 00:30:11,518 --> 00:30:11,940 that makes sense. Yes. 796 00:30:12,980 --> 00:30:14,659 Resources and supplement the care that they're giving. 797 00:30:14,659 --> 00:30:17,099 Hope that makes sense. Yes. 1100%. 798 00:30:17,099 --> 00:30:19,539 It's a absolutely beautiful model and, yeah, thank 799 00:30:19,539 --> 00:30:21,700 you so much for sharing all of that. 800 00:30:21,940 --> 00:30:23,779 For those of you that wanna learn more, 801 00:30:23,779 --> 00:30:25,845 we will attach all of the the links 802 00:30:25,924 --> 00:30:27,684 that that Samantha shared with us in the 803 00:30:27,684 --> 00:30:29,464 show notes and in the podcast description. 804 00:30:30,644 --> 00:30:32,565 Where can people find you, Samantha, if they'd 805 00:30:32,565 --> 00:30:34,325 like to reach out to you? Yeah. Please 806 00:30:34,325 --> 00:30:39,220 visit our website at parkinsonvoiceproject.org, 807 00:30:39,220 --> 00:30:41,940 and we have all our contact information there. 808 00:30:41,940 --> 00:30:44,759 And I'm happy to answer any questions SOPs 809 00:30:44,900 --> 00:30:46,679 have about the program. 810 00:30:47,059 --> 00:30:49,859 And I appreciate the opportunity very much. Thank 811 00:30:49,859 --> 00:30:50,359 you. 812 00:30:50,865 --> 00:30:52,884 And that's a wrap for this episode. 813 00:30:53,184 --> 00:30:55,444 As always, thank you so much for listening. 814 00:30:55,744 --> 00:30:57,105 And if you'd like to download the show 815 00:30:57,105 --> 00:31:01,285 notes from this episode, please visit swaddleryourpridepodcast.com. 816 00:31:01,505 --> 00:31:03,025 There, you can also sign up for our 817 00:31:03,025 --> 00:31:04,944 email list so that you'll never miss another 818 00:31:04,944 --> 00:31:05,444 episode. 819 00:31:05,929 --> 00:31:07,690 If you do like what you hear, then 820 00:31:07,690 --> 00:31:10,269 please subscribe and leave a review on iTunes 821 00:31:10,809 --> 00:31:12,569 or share it on social media with your 822 00:31:12,569 --> 00:31:14,809 friends and colleagues because that is what keeps 823 00:31:14,809 --> 00:31:16,190 these episodes coming. 824 00:31:16,650 --> 00:31:18,505 If you'd like to be a guest, share 825 00:31:18,505 --> 00:31:21,065 feedback, or request a topic to be discussed 826 00:31:21,065 --> 00:31:25,544 on the show, please email podcast@TeresaRichard.com. 827 00:31:25,544 --> 00:31:27,625 Thank you so much for listening, and we'll 828 00:31:27,625 --> 00:31:28,845 catch you next week.