Assessment and Management of Progressive Aphasia in the Frontotemporal Dementias
Presented by Karen Croot and Cathleen Taylor at the 10th International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias. August 31-September 2, 2016 Munich/Germany

Resources from the main workshop
These resources aim to provide information and support to healthcare professionals
- PPA Workshop handout (pdf)
- Full reference list (pdf)
- Communication history questionnaire for family member (pdf)
- Meditation and relaxation resources (pdf)
- Example of PPAmphlet (pdf)
About Karen
Dr Karen Croot is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Cognitive Psychology at The University of Sydney, Australia, who has been researching progressive aphasia for over 20 years. She has written peer-reviewed journal articles and presented at international conferences on the diagnosis and clinical management of progressive aphasia, and co-edited two books on speech and language interventions for progressive aphasia.
About Cathleen
Cathleen Taylor-Rubin is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with 30 years experience working with adults with aphasia, including more than 10 years experience specialising in progressive aphasia. She has published peer reviewed articles on progressive aphasia, has a research masters degree on conversation difficulties in progressive aphasia, and is currently undertaking her PhD on interventions to support conversation in progressive aphasia. Cathleen is the Director of the newly-established Primary Progressive Aphasia and Related Disorders Clinic at War Memorial Hospital in Sydney, Australia. War Memorial Hospital is a NSW public hospital affiliated with South Eastern Sydney Local Health District under the governance of Uniting Care Australia.
Collaborating Organisations


Resources from the presentation by Megan Quimby and Katie Brandt
- Mass General Hospital FTD Unit Presentation Slides (pdf)
- Handout 1 Patient sample list (pdf)
- Handout 2 Group setup (pdf)
About Megan
Megan Quimby is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). She obtained her Master’s of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Boston University. In the past, she has worked at an adult day health program, Constant Therapy (a speech-language ipad application company) and MGH as a Research Assistant doing Alzheimer’s research. She provides evaluation and treatment services that focus on facilitating functional communication to patients with progressive language disorders. Her current focus is on conducting research on progressive language disorders in Dr. Bradford Dickerson’s Lab at MGH. She enjoys crocheting and spending time with her sister.
About Katie
Katie Brandt is a Community Resource Specialist in the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Frontotemporal Disorders Unit. She earned her Masters in Management at Brandeis University. In the past, she has worked as an advocate, fundraiser, educator and volunteer in the FTD and Alzheimer’s local and national communities. Katie works one on one with caregivers, facilitates community education events and coordinates fundraisers to benefit the MGH FTD Unit. See her website, Love is out there, for more information. Her hobbies include cooking, photography and spending time with her 8 year-old son, Noah.
How to order copies of the books on display at the workshop
- Nickels & Croot 2009 – 20% Discount Offer
- Nickels & Croot 2014 – 20% Discount Offer
- Volkmer 2013
Links to Internet Resources
- Australian Government Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service
- UCL Rare Dementia Support Group
- Online resources for Nutrition Screening
- Progressive Aphasia Symptom Severity Scale (PASS)
- Brain Health Information Site: Your Brain Matters
- NSW Government Department of Health, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation : Resources on the role of Allied Health workers in supporting people with dementia
- UK Royal College of Speech Language Therapists (RCSLT) : Advocacy and resource material
German-language resources
- German assessment materials produced by the EKN (University of Munich)
- BoDYS – Dysarthria Scale
- Acoustic and intelligibility analyses of dysarthria
- HWL – Word list for AOS diagnosis
- Non-verbal Semantic test
- Therapy software for individual word training in German (newsletter subscription) or email info@neolexon.de
To refer participants for PPA Research in Germany
- FTD-Netz: Prof Janine Diehl-Schmid, Munich
- DZNE: Peter Nestor, Magdeburg recruiting pwPPA, prospective study, can refund travel costs peter.nestor@dzne.de
Links to talks about PPA
- Talk by Cathleen Taylor: Enhancing communication in FTD, also at Neuroscience Research Australia 2016
- Talk by Karen Croot at Centre for Advanced Studies, Ludwigs Maximillians Universität 2013. Videos for Schwerpunkt: Dementia in an Ageing Society: The Whole Picture is the Whole Person: Clinical Management Pathways for Primary Progressive Aphasia
Talks at PPA 25th Annual Research Symposium at 2015 ASHA Convention
- Argye Hillis: Primary Progressive Aphasia: Advances in Diagnosis, Prognosis, & Treatment
- Naida Graham: Connected Speech and Syntactic Impairment in Primary Progressive Aphasia
- Joe Duffy: Clinical Features, Neuroimaging Correlates, and Underlying Pathology of Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech
- Michelle Bourgeois: Innovative Treatments for Persons with Dementia