By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Imagine stepping into the shoes of someone with dementia.

Now imagine how patient-centered care can improve the treatment and management of those with dementia as it refers to speech-language pathology.

For Kayden Rapson, Ryan Boyd and Lauren Mantle, all majors in Communication Sciences and Disorders, this scenario is close to their hearts. It is the topic of their research, and they were recently accepted to present it at the American Speech and Language-Hearing Association Convention in November.

All of them want to become speech pathologists. Some in the group want to one day help children, while others want to improve the lives of elderly patients.

They all have become impassioned with the idea of helping others.

“My twin brother inspired me to become an SLP because he has a fluency disorder,” said the 20-year-old Mantle, who hails from Bardwell, Ky. “Growing up, I could see how hard it was for him to communicate what he needed and the struggles he faced having a speech impediment. I want to help kids, just like my brother, with their speech and language disorders so they can feel confident and be able to communicate just like their peers.”

Boyd, a 21-year-old native of Yorkville, Ill., said she’s wanted to help people for as long as she can remember.

“When a career as an SLP was brought to my attention and I began shadowing in the field, I instantly fell in love with the profession,” she said. “Having a voice and the ability to communicate is taken for granted by most, but everyone should have the ability to do so.”

Rapson, a 21-year-old Louisville native, said she thinks the research will help her with her career.

“I would like to work with the older population specifically those with dementia and traumatic brain injuries,” she said. “I feel like this research will allow me to be the best SLP for my future patients.” 

Christen Page, PhD, CCC-SLP, is the leader and advisor on the research project. The CSD seniors had bimonthly meetings in the clinic in the Charles T. Wethington building and worked on qualitative and quantitative research for the project. 

“I reached out to Dr. Richard Andreatta (PhD, ASHA Fellow) and Dr. Christen Page about my interest in working on this project,” Boyd said. “I then interviewed to be a part of the research team with Dr. Page. Kayden Rapson, Lauren Mantle, and I all became a part of the research team with Dr. Page as our mentor.”

Page had her graduate students participate in a dementia simulation in which the participants put gloves on both hands and taped two fingers together to simulate fine motor deficits and arthritis.

Next, participants wore goggles that represent macular degeneration, glaucoma and loss of vision. The participants wore personal earbuds emitting white noise, which simulated reduced hearing and concentration.

Participants also placed beans in their shoes to simulate impaired balance.

Following the simulation, participants wrote goals and a one to two-page reflective essay. Those in the undergraduate research lab then analyzed the goals and essays to generate a story about the importance of patient-centered care in the treatment and management of those with dementia in regard to speech-language pathology.  

“This research will bring more awareness to dementia itself and help provide factual evidence of why person-centered care for individuals with dementia is vital to their wellbeing and progression of their disease,” Mantle said.  

“This study uses simulation-based learning to introduce the concept of Person-Centered Care (PCC) to students pursuing a career in speech-language pathology,” Boyd said.

“Research allows us to keep the literature up to date with the best options to help treat our future patients,” Rapson said.

And they had a unique perspective on what they hope their research can achieve. The trio are in the process of publishing their research in the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. 

“I hope that individuals who suffer from dementia will be treated with these new resources so that they can live as comfortably as they can,” Mantle said. “This research is designed solely for them and to make their lives a little easier while they are battling this disease. They cannot control what is happening to their body, but their caregivers can help control parts of the outcomes of it.”

“We hope that as understanding and awareness of dementia increases in students, successful Person-Centered Care will be more effective and efficient,” Boyd said. “The earlier we start this education in a SLP's career, the greater the care of their patients with dementia will be.”