$69.00 USD

100% rating - reviews

0.3  ASHA CEUs

Dementia Therapy: A Speech-Language Pathologist's Guide To Successful Interventions And Proper Documentation #e92


Presenter: Peggy Watson, MS, CCC-SLP

Learn the art of proper documentation that supports skilled intervention with the dementia population.


"I will change the way I write goals and objectives after listening to this course. I liked the way the course was presented – factual with relevant examples."

– M.D., prior course participant

The number of patients with dementia is exploding across all boundaries and in all settings. The speech-language pathologist plays a key role in staging and assisting patients in achieving their highest level of function in the areas of communication, behavior management, socialization, dysphagia and mobility.

This course provides the clinician with the tools to build on existing skills, and provides a framework for implementing successful interventions for patients with dementia. Documentation for dementia therapy is also covered, including the art of proper documentation that supports skilled intervention for this population.

Course is offered for 0.3 ASHA CEUs – 3 Contact Hours.

Course Overview – Run Time: 3:00:16

  • Types and Causes of Dementia
  • Memory and Dementia
  • Staging of Dementia
  • Candidate Identification
  • Evaluation
  • The Art of Documentation for Dementia
  • Goal Writing
  • Evidence-Based Interventions
"So many times I hear from providers or other SLPs that intervention with patients with a dementia diagnosis is not appropriate. This course does a great job providing evidence-based information on why it IS appropriate, and what interventions to utilize and best practice for documentation. So helpful!"

– K.S., prior course participant

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

"The documentation aspects of this course were particularly helpful, from the way it described how to better establish medical necessity during the evaluation portion to goal writing for cognitive skills." R.A. (Sep. 2023)

"This information was timely for my current caseload/setting and proved to be most interesting. The causes and types of Dementia as well as the staging of dementia were very informative and helpful." S.J. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the breakdown of each dementia and Alzheimer's, and I liked the breakdown of each level of the Global Deterioration Scale." C.B. (Aug. 2023)

"Functional and applicable. I liked the daily life applications as well as strategies and evidence to implement." K.K. (Jun. 2023)

"All content was beneficial. Easy to follow course." M.S. (Jun. 2023)

"I really enjoyed the evidence-based interventions b/c I learned new things after 22 years in the field! Great information and practical information I can use where I practice." L.D. (Mar. 2023)

"Goal writing and documentation were beneficial. Liked freedom to complete course on my own time." V.M. (Feb. 2023)

"I found the discussion about staging to be the most beneficial." A.W. (Jan. 2023)

"Easy to follow course. I liked the 5 evidence-based interventions and the examples for goal writing. I also appreciated being able to see the post test prior to watching the course." C.S. (Jan. 2023)

"All of it was beneficial." L.L. (Dec. 2022)

"I liked everything. Course was very informative." J.A. (Nov. 2022)

"Very specific and helpful information was shared. I liked the detailed explanations of the stages of dementia." R.W. (Oct. 2022)

"Staging of dementia was very informative." G.K. (Oct. 2022)

"Best online CEU I've ever done. I liked all of it - goal writing, eval writing, listing the treatments, wording for Medicare reimbursement." A.S. (Sept. 2022)

"I will be able to use this information immediately. I liked the stages of dementia and examples of goals." A.Y. (Aug. 2022)

"The presenter was knowledgeable and gave great examples of evaluation and treatment. I liked the therapy interventions and review of dementia stages." M.D. (Aug. 2022)

"I liked the goal writing discussion - the slides were helpful." T.N. (Jul. 2022)

"I liked how course was organized and the handouts were helpful. The information on staging and documentation was good." C.H. (Jun. 2022)

"I found using the staging scale and texting information beneficial to my practice." K.D. (Apr. 2022)

"I appreciated the way the presentation was organized and reviewed essential components for improved quality of life and outcomes along with the documentation requirements." E.M. (Mar. 2022)

"I will change the way I write goals and objectives after listening to this course. I liked the way the course was presented – factual with relevant examples. The Global Determination Scale was very helpful." M.D. (Mar. 2022)

"Very functional applications in a Long Term Care setting. I liked suggestions for incorporating other modalities (PT and OT) into SLP goals." B.S. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the practical examples given by the presenter. Presenter did not talk too fast and explained slides in easy to understand, meaningful terms." C.W. (Dec. 2021)

"Staging with examples and more specific behaviors, further explanations on Medicare guidelines, and examples of techniques in therapy were all really helpful." A.C. (Dec. 2021)

"Great information on the dementia stages, goal writing, and dementia interventions." J.H. (Dec. 2021)

"The straightforward presentation style of the presenter helped increase my understanding of all topics discussed. I appreciated the direct examples of what to do and what not to do for each stage of dementia based on the GDS." A.R. (Nov. 2021)

"I liked the description of staging and how it connected to goals and treatment. Liked all of her personal examples and descriptions that illustrated the topics she covered." L.G. (Oct. 2021)

"I appreciated the wording she provided to write goals and evaluations. I also liked the format and the in-depth discussions that are very practical. It really exceeded my expectations. I want to hear more from this speaker." A.D. (Oct. 2021)

"Different activities for treatment – a lot of detail regarding goal planning." W.S. (Sept. 2021)

"The presenter was well organized and very clear in her delivery. I also appreciate the ability to listen as many times as I wanted and to stop the presentation when I needed a break." E.B. (Sept. 2021)

"I felt like I was front seat being taught one on one by a seasoned and knowledgeable clinician. I liked the 5 evidence-based approaches to therapy for individuals with dementia." M.S. (Aug. 2021)

“I enjoyed learning the stages of dementia and therapeutic interventions. The examples and patient behaviors were helpful also.” C.B. (Jul 2021)

"So many times I hear from providers or other SLPs that intervention with patients with a dementia diagnosis is not appropriate. This course does a great job providing evidenced based information on why it IS appropriate, and what interventions to utilize and best practice for documentation. So helpful!" K.S. (May 2021)

"It was very informative and I feel prepared to work with this population if/when I get the opportunity. Going over the staging and the evidence based interventions was most helpful. I also appreciate that they name assessments for dementia and not just screeners." C.P. (Apr. 2021)

"EVERYTHING was beneficial! It was an excellent course!" D.P. (Mar. 2021)

"I am retired but interested in the topic. The therapy effective for dementia was of most interest to me. Well organized course, good slides, staging and therapy tools." P.B. (Feb. 2021)

"All of it was beneficial - especially the therapy interventions and functional goals. Very good course!!"  B.V. (Jan. 2021)

Course Objectives

  1. Name the essential components for establishing medical necessity.
  2. Identify the seven stages of dementia per Global Deterioration Scale.
  3. Define the components of appropriate goals to avoid reimbursement pitfalls.
  4. List evidence-based interventions appropriate for the dementia population.
  5. Write a Functional Maintenance Plan.

Presenter & Disclosures

Peggy Watson, MS, CCC-SLP, is a practicing speech-language pathologist with 30 years of experience working with the geriatric population. She specializes in non-pharmacological dementia behavior management using evidence-based interventions including the areas of validation, reminisce, spaced retrieval, sensory and Montessori. Peggy has co-authored two books, one for therapists providing step-by-step guidance to achieve successful outcomes, Dementia Therapy & Program Development and one for caregivers, Dementia Loving Care with a Therapeutic Benefit. She has presented on dementia programming nationally and internationally, and for state and national conventions since 2009. Peggy is a member of the Colorado Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and ASHA. She is co-owner of Consultants in Dementia Therapy, a company founded to be a resource for caregivers, therapists and medical staff helping people with dementia achieve or maintain their highest level of function.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Peggy Watson is the author of the text "Dementia Therapy & Program Development" published by Consultants in Dementia Therapy; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Peggy Watson is co-owner of Consultants in Dementia Therapy, PLLC; ownership interests.

Financial —Peggy Watson is the author of the text "Dementia Loving Care with a Therapeutic Benefit"; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Peggy Watson is the author of online CE courses offered by Northern Speech Services; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Peggy Watson is a presenter of CE seminars offered by Northern Speech Services; receives speaking fees.

Nonfinancial — Peggy Watson has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience/Accreditation

asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.3 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • SLP

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 masters 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



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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