The development of the PPA Progression Planning Aid (PPA-squared) and its clinical application: Improving care for people living with Primary Progressive Aphasia
Tracks
1
Adult
Aphasia
Cognitive communication
Dementia
| Saturday, June 14, 2025 |
| 2:30 PM - 2:40 PM |
Overview
Dr Cathleen Taylor-Rubin and Rachel Kingma
Details
⏫ Fireside chat
⏲️ 2.30pm - 3.30pm
⌛60-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Intermediate (Some previous learning/working knowledge of topic e.g. treated a few cases)
⏲️ 2.30pm - 3.30pm
⌛60-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Intermediate (Some previous learning/working knowledge of topic e.g. treated a few cases)
Presenter
Dr Cathleen Taylor-Rubin
Uniting War Memorial Hospital Waverley NSW Australia
The development of the PPA Progression Planning Aid (PPA-squared) and its clinical application: Improving care for people living with Primary Progressive Aphasia
2:30 PM - 3:30 PMPresentation summary
The semantic variant (svPPA) and nonfluent agrammatic variant (nfavPPA) of Primary Progressive Aphasia are complex language led dementia syndromes associated with frontotemporal dementia {1}. For speech pathologists (SP), diagnosed individuals, and their families, there has been limited information on the evolving daily life impacts of PPA variants, and no clear road map describing stages of condition progression. Patients and families need resources and informational counselling to inform current care and future planning [2].
For SPs, these syndromes pose unique clinical challenges. The types and timing of intervention programs and advanced care planning are best done when clear information about potential disease / disability progression is known [3]. Recently developed by a UK/Australian collaboration, the PPA Progression Planning Aid (PPA-squared) addresses these knowledge gaps [2]. It provides a prototypical progression and severity scale of functional impairment, informed by the lived experience of caregivers of people with svPPA and nfavPPA.
1. Using E4BP principles, we will describe existing clinical tools {4,5,6}, the research base for symptom staging and the PPA-Squared tool [2].
2. Following this, clinical application will be described using five case studies. Case studies will describe the lived experience of people with PPA and their families and the benefits gained from working with SP and the PPA-Squared.
3. In a group task, attendees will be provided with the unique experience of interacting with the research survey completed by UK and Australian caregivers [2], using a case from their own practice or a generic anonymised case provided by the session presenters.
The fireside chat is an opportunity for attendees to collaboratively engage with experts about the art and science of presenting symptom staging information to individuals living with complex progressive aphasia. The innovative PPA-Squared is a new resource for clinicians practicing in this emerging and expanding area of SP practice.
For SPs, these syndromes pose unique clinical challenges. The types and timing of intervention programs and advanced care planning are best done when clear information about potential disease / disability progression is known [3]. Recently developed by a UK/Australian collaboration, the PPA Progression Planning Aid (PPA-squared) addresses these knowledge gaps [2]. It provides a prototypical progression and severity scale of functional impairment, informed by the lived experience of caregivers of people with svPPA and nfavPPA.
1. Using E4BP principles, we will describe existing clinical tools {4,5,6}, the research base for symptom staging and the PPA-Squared tool [2].
2. Following this, clinical application will be described using five case studies. Case studies will describe the lived experience of people with PPA and their families and the benefits gained from working with SP and the PPA-Squared.
3. In a group task, attendees will be provided with the unique experience of interacting with the research survey completed by UK and Australian caregivers [2], using a case from their own practice or a generic anonymised case provided by the session presenters.
The fireside chat is an opportunity for attendees to collaboratively engage with experts about the art and science of presenting symptom staging information to individuals living with complex progressive aphasia. The innovative PPA-Squared is a new resource for clinicians practicing in this emerging and expanding area of SP practice.
Refrences
1. Gorno-Tempini ML, Hillis AE, Weintraub S, et al. Classification of primary progressive aphasia and its variants. Neurology. 2011;76(11):1006-1014. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e31821103e6
2. Hardy CJD, Taylor-Rubin C, Taylor B, Harding E, Suarez-Gonzalez A, Jiang J, Thompson L, Kingma R, Chokesuwattanaskul A, Walker F, Barker S, Brotherhood E, Waddington, Wood O, Zimmerman N, Jupelli N, Yong KXX, Camic PM, Stott J, Marshall CR, Oxtoby NP, Rohrer JD, Volkmer A, Crutch SJ, Warren JD. Symptom-led staging for semantic and non-fluent agrammatic variants of primary progressive aphasia. Alzheimer’s & Dementia.2024; 20(1): 419-430 doi: 10.1002/alz.13415
3. Taylor-Rubin C, Croot K, Nickels L. Speech and language therapy in primary progressive aphasia: a critical review of current practice. Expert review of Neurotherapeutics. 2021;24(4): 195-210 doi:10.1080/14737175.2021.1897253
4. Reisberg B, Ferris SH, de Leon MJ, Crook T. The Global Deterioration Scale for assessment of primary degenerative dementia. Am J Psychiatry. 1982;139(9):1136-1139. doi:10.1176/ajp.139.9.1136
5. Mioshi E, Hsieh S, Savage S, Hornberger M, Hodges JR. Clinical staging and disease progression in frontotemporal dementia. Neurology. 2010;74(20):1591-1597. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181e04070
6. Sapolsky D, Domoto-Reilly K, Dickerson BC. Use of the Progressive Aphasia Severity Scale (PASS) in monitoring speech and language status in PPA. Aphasiology. 2014;28(8-9):993-1003. doi:10.1080/02687038.2014.931563
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Cathy Taylor-Rubin is a speech pathologist based in Sydney Australia. In 2010, with a growing caseload of individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia, she focused on clinical practice and research in this emerging field. She completed a Master of Applied Science at University of Sydney (2015), focusing on the nature of conversation breakdown in PPA. In her PhD studies at Macquarie University she investigated effective behavioural treatments for improving and maintaining communication for people with PPA and their families and caregivers.
She currently provides assessment, treatment, education and support services for people with PPA from across NSW at a tertiary referral clinic for PPA at War Memorial Hospital Waverley, Sydney. She also conducts a specialist private practice for individuals with PPA and language-led dementia syndromes. Cathy has presented at national and international scientific meetings, caregiver forums and provided education to speech pathology students. She has published in national and international peer reviewed journals.
Cathy is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist (CPSP), Practicing Member of Speech Pathology Australia (MSPA), an Honorary Fellow, Macquarie University and Clinical Associate Lecturer, University of Technology Sydney.
Ms Rachel Kingma
War Memorial Hospital Waverley
The development of the PPA Progression Planning Aid (PPA-squared) and its clinical application: Improving care for people living with Primary Progressive Aphasia
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM**********
Rachel Kingma is a highly experienced clinician, service leader, and researcher in the field of adult rehabilitation. Her clinical and research interests include progressive neurological conditions, acquired apraxia of speech and frailty dysphagia rehabilitation.
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
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