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$150.00 USD

89% rating - reviews

0.2  ASHA CEUs

What's Next?™ A Treatment Protocol To Help Adults With Cognitive Deficits Perform Daily Vital Tasks #z100


Presenter: Gwen Hinrichs, MA, CCC-SLP

Learn a therapeutic approach designed to provide greater levels of independence for persons with mild to moderate dementia.


All materials needed to implement the What’s Next?™ program are included as part of this course:


  • AMPS Assessment
  • AMPS Decision Tree
  • Acceptance Continuum
  • Routine Recording Worksheet
  • Goal Writing Samples

This course serves as the formal training requisite for implementation of the What’s Next?™ treatment protocol.

What’s Next?™ is a measurable, routine-based, cognitive retraining program used to teach individuals with dementia and other cognitive disorders to perform the vital functional skills required for independent living. Specifically, this course discusses assessment protocols, goal development, and treatment strategies to maximize the management of 6 major activities that play a vital role in daily living.

Presented are objective and functional measurements for assessment, reassessment, and discharge to measure the efficacy of the treatment program. Participants will learn a specific testing protocol that can be used to build goals around the tasks that are tested, and retested, with increased and improved performance expected.

On successful completion of this course, participants may download their certificate of competency which enables them to implement What’s Next?™ in their daily practice.

Course is offered for 0.2 ASHA CEUs – 2 Contact Hours.

Course Overview & Run Time

Course Overview – Run Time: 2:00:00

  1. Introduction
  2. Course Objectives
  3. Overview
  4. Research
  5. Candidate Selection
  6. Assessment
  7. Implementation
  8. Goal Writing
  9. Routine Set-up
  10. DC Criteria
  11. Simulation
  12. Case Studies
  13. Conclusion
  14. Course Assessment

What's Next - Speech Therapy Session

The What’s Next?™ program is a therapeutic approach designed to provide greater levels of independence and improve the quality of life for persons with mild to moderate dementia.

"Very relevant treatment program, as our payors are increasingly looking for measurable gains. The video presentation of the information was very conducive to learning."

– V.C., prior course participant

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"I loved the discussion of how this approach has been well-researched. And seeing the video of an actual patient undergoing the assessment process."

– S.A., prior course participant

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Content Disclosures & Prerequisites

Content Disclosure: This course focuses exclusively on the What’s Next?™ treatment protocol. Other therapy programs will not be covered during this course.  All materials needed for implementing What’s Next?™ are included with this course. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.

Prerequisite Note: Course participants should be familiar with assessing and staging dementia via their choice of cognitive screenings and/or assessment tools. Participants should also be familiar with the therapy tools of environmental cueing and memory strategies such as Errorless Learning and Spaced Retrieval.

"This presentation was clear and easy to understand and directly related to the current issues in everyday practice. Learning how to pair a new task with an old task already in a routine to allow patient to make it habit is beneficial to my daily practice."

– J.V., prior course participant

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Course Format

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handouts. This course includes all materials needed for implementing the What’s Next?™ program. 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

"I found the decision tree handout very helpful with understanding the scoring process. I liked having the handouts while also viewing the video." H.B. (Oct. 2024)

"Resources on AMPS scores were helpful. I liked the live interview for AMPS scoring." E.R. (Oct. 2024)

"I like that this assessment is very practical and understandable and relevant for patients and caregivers. The section assessments were very helpful in supporting my overall understanding of this new material." J.K. (Oct. 2024)

"The objective scoring for very abstract and complex functional situations was helpful. I enjoyed the examples, the treatment focus." H.K. (Aug. 2024)

"The assessment and treatment was beneficial. I liked the handouts." A.K. (Jul. 2024)

"I loved the assessment protocol and that I can try to implement it with my patients with cognitive impairments. I also liked the visual aids and materials." A.W. (Jun. 2024)

"The concept of linking new (goal) behaviors to ones already done well. I liked the case studies." L.H. (May. 2024)

"The assessment "scenario" being acted out was helpful. I liked the emphasis on functionality." J.O. (Apr. 2024)

"I loved the accountability portion and the fact that our clients can see improvement. I liked seeing the actual client interview." C.S. (Dec. 2023)

"Discussing routines was beneficial. I liked the course format." A.D. (Nov. 2023)

"I loved the discussion of how this approach has been well-researched. And seeing the video of an actual patient undergoing the assessment process." S.A. (Nov. 2023)

"Discussing AMPS assessment was helpful. I enjoyed the rating scale." T.K. (Nov. 2023)

"Direct therapy tasks and setting goals." C.E. (Nov. 2023)

"The video of the assessment was beneficial. I liked the handouts and the video." L.G. (Oct. 2023)

"The use of routine and the concept of attaching tasks to other tasks/event-based tasks were beneficial." P.K. (Oct. 2023)

"I liked the step-by-step treatment. Great outcomes." K.A. (Sep. 2023)

"Very practical!" R.P. (Sep. 2023)

"This program allows the set up of functional and realistic goals. I liked the practice of rating the AMPS assessment." H.T. (Jul. 2023)

"A functional measurement system to be used to truly help patients in their everyday lives. I loved the actual videos explaining the process." A.A. (Jul. 2023)

"I loved the AMPS worksheet, decision tree, and the goal writing. This is a great tool for figuring out a care plan for patients that have cognitive impairments." J.D. (May 2023)

"This course was easy to follow and logical, and got right to the point. I liked the examples." M.B. (May 2023)

"Providing a consistent quantitative analysis to tasks that are evaluated often was beneficial. This course provided well-outlined handouts." B.E. (May 2023)

"I liked the use of routine in therapy to increase carryover of skills. The sample goals and treatment were beneficial." C.D. (May 2023)

"I liked the functionality of this program." C.P. (Feb. 2023)

"The breakdown and areas to work on with dementia were beneficial. I liked the case studies." T.M. (Jan. 2023)

"Having a graded scoring system for things already done in the SNF is very beneficial." M.R. (Jan. 2023)

"I like having an outcome measure that will show improvement." S.H. (Dec. 2022)

"Focus on dementia was beneficial. I like that this program continually assesses a patient's specific needs." A.S. (Dec. 2022)

"How to document functionality. I knew that what I was doing was close to effective but needed the information about more frequency and following through, and offering further services if progress is made." S.N. (Nov. 2022)

"Real practical information. A great way to show progress. Always looking for something like this in my practice." L.W. (Nov. 2022)

"Real treatment use application made simple to understand and use in a timely manner to score and implement. I liked the application of the test to transfer into daily function patient use." G.F. (Oct. 2022)

"I liked the simple way to get validity and assess and score." A.P. (Oct. 2022)

"The organization of activities was good. I liked all the handouts." N.B. (Oct. 2022)

"I liked all the worksheets included." M.M. (Sept. 2022)

"This course was very practical. I liked learning that we don't need times on a schedule, just activities/tasks." K.M. (Aug. 2022)

"It was an excellent course and well presented. Well organized content." B.P. (Aug. 2022)

"I liked the goals that were discussed and the specific areas to target to improve independence." J.G. (Jul. 2022)

"Good course. Liked the downloads for implementation." E.H. (Jun. 2022)

"I liked the routine-based approach. Good content." S.C. (May 2022)

"The actual case study and test to walk through and score was the most helpful part for functional application – to see how it is functionally utilized." L.C. (Apr. 2022)

"I liked the review of event-based tasks." T.J. (Apr. 2022)

"How to incorporate daily routines to add new routines was beneficial – and working through a mock assessment and examples of AMPS scores to help become efficient." A.P. (Mar. 2022)

"A very practical approach. I was given a better understanding of how to attach the new task to an already established task." K.O. (Feb. 2022)

"The hands on practice was beneficial. I liked the idea of incorporating new tasks into daily routine."  S.J. (Feb. 2022)

"Very practical. Functional testing program." J.T. (Feb. 2022)

"I liked that the questionnaire can be used for initial assessments, reassessments, and d/c planning." J.W. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked being able to perform a new assessment, which clearly demonstrates medical necessity." T.M. (Jan. 2022)

"The presenter did an excellent job presenting the material in an organized manner. The video example of meeting with the patient and daughter, and having the SLP explain the patient's cognitive linguistic deficits, areas that needed to be worked on, scoring on the AMPS assessment, and suggested goals were very helpful and functional." V.M. (Jan. 2022)

Course Objectives

At course conclusion, participants will be able:
  1. To describe how routine can support the performance of daily vital tasks for the adult with cognitive deficits.
  2. To identify appropriate candidates for What’s Next?™ – a routine-based approach.
  3. To assess and comprehensively determine the level of functional cognitive decline your patient is exhibiting.
  4. To write practical, measurable goals as they relate to a routine-based treatment approach.

AOTA Course Approval #00783 - Category: OT Service Delivery

Presenter & Disclosures

Gwen Griffin, MA, CCC-SLP

Gwen Griffin, MA, CCC-SLP, is the founder and owner of Speech and Cognition Specialists, LLC and she is the developer of the What's Next?™ Program (patent pending). She treats patients in various settings including home health, acute care, SNF, long term care, assisted and independent living facilities, acute and sub-acute rehabilitation hospital, and residential facilities for people with special needs. Her experience is in TBI, SCI, CVA, vent-dependent patients and neurological diseases. Gwen has participated in clinical research, family and staff education development, and on quality improvement teams.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Gwen Griffin is a presenter of online CE courses offered by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Financial —Gwen Griffin is the Owner of Speech and Cognition Specialists, LLC; receives salary.

Financial — Gwen Griffin is the Owner and Creator of What's Next?™; holds pending patent.

Nonfinancial — Gwen Griffin has no relevant nonfinancial disclosures.

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
  • OT

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.
  • Florida: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Florida Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board. Provider #SPA-026.

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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