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99% rating - reviews

0.2  ASHA CEUs

Parkinson's Disease, Swallowing And Best Practice #e127


Presenter: Paula Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Learn a targeted assessment of swallowing, saliva, eating, and speech in individuals with Parkinson's disease.


"Very informative and the presenter was knowledgeable. Her personal experience w/ PD as a caregiver gave a noted point of view regarding the patient's QoL."

– M.K., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

Dysphagia in Parkinson's disease results in a variety of serious functional, psychological, and quality-of-life consequences with aspiration pneumonia being one of the leading causes of death. For maximum effect, swallowing management must be a part of the patient's total plan of care, initiated early in the disease course, and be aggressive in nature. The swallowing care plan must be directed by targeted and regular ongoing assessment to guide both rehabilitative and compensatory approaches.

This course will discuss components of a targeted assessment of swallowing, saliva, eating, and speech in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Videofluoroscopic swallow study clips will demonstrate common oropharyngeal swallowing abnormalities. Extensive discussion will focus on both compensatory approaches and rehabilitative techniques including oral health, airway dynamics and respiratory muscle strength, nutrition, and airway protection maneuvers.

Course is offered for 0.2 ASHA CEUs – 2 Contact Hours

Course Overview & Run Time

Course Overview – Run Time: 2:09:44

  1. Evaluating the functional and quality-of-life impact of dysphagia on the individual with Parkinson's disease: Where Do We Begin?
  2. Treating dysphagia in the individual with Parkinson's disease: What Can We Do?
"The assessment, severity rating tools, treatment, and review of evidence-based practices were very beneficial. The speaker was excellent, with good use of case presentations and video. This course was very well organized."

– M.M., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

Content Disclosures

The content of this online CE course does not focus exclusively on any specific proprietary product or service. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.

Course Format

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Reviews

Comments From Prior Course Participants

"Treatment techniques were beneficial. I liked that this course was quick and easy to access." H.S. (Nov. 2024)

"The assessments were beneficial - I will be purchasing the ROMP for use with pts in the SNF setting. I liked the presentation of rehabilitative vs compensatory tx protocol. Working in the SNF setting, I tend to lean heavily on the compensatory strategies primarily because the pts I treat are in the later stages of the disease process. As a result, I hadn't considered rehabilitative treatment to be an option." L.S. (Oct. 2024)

"The dysphagia assessment was beneficial. The course was concise." S.T. (Jul. 2024)

"Current information regarding Parkinson's disease was beneficial. I liked the Parkinson assessment protocol." L.O. (Jun. 2024)

"Compensatory strategies were helpful and I liked the case study." E.M. (Jun. 2024)

"The use of instrumentals as a baseline for PD pts was helpful. I liked the handouts to refer back to." A.C. (May. 2024)

"Using rehabilitative strategies to support swallowing in PWP. Considering factors in overall presentation to guide assessment and management. Providing case studies and videos of VFS to illustrate examples. I especially liked that Paula used a personal example to illustrate the key messages!" L.C. (May. 2024)

"This course was a generally wonderful refresher course on PD and dysphagia, and there was some additional new info that I can use in my current practice. I liked that it had some new info for me to utilize." J.K. (May. 2024)

"The importance of completing patient perceived assessments (ROMP), instrumental testing, continue exercises "they work", patient quality of life. Although this course was only 2 hours long, it was very informative. The speaker was very knowledgeable." M.S. (Apr. 2024)

"1/3 of PWP have silent aspiration is crucial to know. I liked the imaging examples." M.R. (Mar. 2024)

"Learning additional compensatory strategies to use with pt's with Parkinson's disease was beneficial. I enjoyed learning which instruments are best for evaluation of PD." M.D. (Feb. 2024)

"Compensatory and Rehabilitative approaches were helpful topics. I liked the content and concise slides." A.O. (Dec. 2023)

"The compensatory and rehabilitative techniques were beneficial. Gave a really good overview." T.B. (Dec. 2023)

"Pros and cons of thickened liquids. I liked the various treatment approaches." P.T. (Dec. 2023)

"Very practical and useful for my caseload. Learning how each swallowing phase is affected by Parkinson's and rehabilitative techniques." R.J. (Dec. 2023)

"The use of rehabilitation techniques, especially respiratory training, was beneficial and relevant to my daily practice." A.H. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the slides and the discussion of rehabilitative vs compensatory strategies." D.D. (Nov. 2023)

"Rehabilitative and compensatory strategies were beneficial. I liked the treatment options." A.M. (Oct. 2023)

"Learning early symptoms, and the effects of various treatments was beneficial. I liked the time flexibility to take course." S.B. (Sep. 2023)

"I didn't experience swallow information in my school-based therapy caseload, so this was all new to me and I appreciated all of the information." S.S. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the discussion on dysphagia management in PwP. The topics covered in this course are beneficial in my practice." N.K. (Jul. 2023)

"All of the information was beneficial, especially related to treatment." W.R. (Jun. 2023)

"I liked how this course was split into two parts, with half being on therapy. Topics of thickened liquids, use of Shaker exercise, EMST, saliva mgt were beneficial." J.K. (Apr. 2023)

"Treatment techniques were beneficial. All information can be immediately applied when working with patients. Course content was simple to follow." V.F. (Apr. 2023)

"I specifically liked the rehabilitative techniques. And the clarity of the presentation." N.T. (Feb. 2023)

"All of this content was beneficial considering this was my first course in Parkinson's and Dysphagia. The anecdotal information was one of the best parts of this course." J.L. (Dec. 2022)

"Clinically applicable. I liked the assessment of dysphagia in Parkinson's." J.R. (Oct. 2022)

"Practical course and easy to follow. The tools to use for initial interviews and evidence to support possible compensations/treatments were helpful." R.W. (Sept. 2022)

"Provided treatment strategies. And I liked the rehab and compensatory techniques." B.B. (Aug. 2022)

"I liked the compensatory strategies presented." L.F. (Aug. 2022)

"Everything will be very helpful for my practice." H.E. (Aug. 2022)

"All content was very relevant and I liked the swallowing avenues for Parkinson's patients." D.P. (Jun. 2022)

"I liked the review of compensatory vs rehab strategies and specific treatment recommendations. The information was presented in a practical matter for treatment by the typical SLP." J.G. (May 2022)

"I liked the treatment section. Concrete examples, and a lot of study reviews." E.F. (Mar. 2022)

"I liked the different scales, the evidence from studies, and the rehabilitative approaches. A lot of evidence-based information. A very pragmatic, concrete course, related to clinical concerns." J.B. (Mar. 2022)

"Liked the treatment options and the sensory recommendations to improve the swallow. I liked that I can take this information to improve my treatment tomorrow." A.S. (Mar. 2022)

"I liked the rehab and compensatory exercises. The course was convenient - go at my own pace." B.G. (Feb. 2022)

"I liked the compensatory strategies presented." M.P. (Feb. 2022)

"I liked the comp strategies to deal with drooling - increasing frequency of swallow. More use of Shaker exercise to treat decreased elevation of hyolaryngeal complex and decreased opening of UES." J.H. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the discussion of rehabilitative strategies - thoroughness of the course." K.M. (Jan. 2022)

"I definitely will be incorporating some of the rehabilitative approaches into my practice, specifically EMST. Also for those patients who do not have cervical/neck issues, consider Shaker as part of their therapy now that I see the evidence supports its use. I really liked part two: therapy techniques." J.M. (Jan. 2022)

"Very informative and presenter was knowledgeable. Her personal experience w/ PD as a caregiver gave a noted point of view regarding the patient's QoL."  M.K. (Jan. 2022)

"Well organized, and addressed specific clinical questions about the efficacy of treatments in this population."  T.R. (Jan. 2022)

Course Objectives

At course conclusion, participants will be able to:
  1. Describe adaptations to the videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) and fiberoptic endoscopic swallowing study (FEES) for persons with Parkinson's disease.
  2. Describe respiratory strengthening and airway protection strategies for persons with Parkinson's disease.
  3. List both patient and clinician rated assessments for evaluating swallowing in Parkinson's disease.
  4. List common oral and pharyngeal stage signs in Parkinson's disease.

Presenter & Disclosures

Paula A. Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Paula A. Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, currently is a Senior Speech-Language Pathologist in the Department of Neurology/Speech Section, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System in Gainesville, FL. Paula's clinical expertise and research are focused on swallowing disorders in head and neck cancer and at end-of-life. She has been affiliated with numerous comprehensive cancer centers, including H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, Sylvester Cancer Center, Miami, FL, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Paula also has participated as part of numerous clinical research trials in swallowing.

Paula served as a co-regional primary investigator for the largest controlled, randomized research trial in oropharyngeal dysphagia funded by the National Institutes of Health (Protocol 201). Protocol 201 examined the effectiveness of chin down and thickened liquids in individuals with dementia and Parkinson's disease both with and without dementia. Additionally, Paula has published numerous articles, book chapters, and co-authored books, including Swallowing Intervention in Oncology and the Easy-To-Swallow, Easy-To-Chew Cookbook. She also has co-authored multiple national guidelines, directives, and policies relating to oropharyngeal swallowing disorders for both the Veterans Health Administration and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She is a board recognized specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. Paula is an ASHA Fellow and former coordinator of ASHA's Division 13, Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. She was named "2013 Clinician of the Year" by the Association of Veterans Affairs Speech-Language Pathologists. 

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Paula Sullivan is a coauthor of the text, "Easy-To-Swallow; Easy-To-Chew Cookbook"; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Paula Sullivan is a presenter of online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Nonfinancial — Paula Sullivan has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

Intended Audience/Accreditation
asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.2 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

  • Current ASHA Member
  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder
  • Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology
  • Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC
  • Currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program in SLP or audiology

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.

Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:

  • California: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. Provider #PDP4. Online CEU limits may apply; please contact SLPAHADB for current online CEU acceptance policies.
  • Iowa: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners. Provider #169.
  • Kansas: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Provider #LTS-S0005.

Frequently Asked Questions

Online Course FAQ — Click Here

Customer Support: Please phone 888.337.3866 or email info@northernspeech.com.

Course Completion Timeframe:

You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Content Access:

Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.

Certificate of Completion:

On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.

ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

Purchase Orders:

Purchase orders are currently not accepted for online orders, if you wish to submit a purchase order please do so at info@northernspeech.com or fax to 888-696-9655.

What is an Online Course?

Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

Receiving CEUs:

Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.

Registering for an online course:

You may browse all online courses by clicking the Continuing Education tab above, then Online Courses. Once you find a course, click Enroll Now, and you will be asked to either log into your existing Northern Speech account or create a new online account. Once you’ve entered your account information and provided your credit card payment, your course will be immediately available to you.

Accessing your purchased course or returning to a purchased course:

You will be able to access your online course by logging into your Northern Speech account and then clicking the My Online Courses tab on your profile screen. Click the course you would like to start or to resume. From there, proceed through the course sections until you are ready to complete the post test. You do not have to complete your course all at once. You may log on and off as you wish.

Testing requirements:

Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

Number of CEUs offered:

We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

Course formats:

Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

Course handouts:

Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file. 

Group discounts:

Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

Computer requirements:

For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.

Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

Special Needs:

Please click here for any special needs requests, and we will do our best to accommodate them. 

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