Join us in celebrating this month’s Clinician Who Inspires: Tricia Peña, SLP and Champion Level I Therapist from Westgate Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center! As the month of May welcomes bright skies, colorful blooms, and National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, it seems only fitting to shine a light on Tricia’s positivity and fresh take on speech therapy in skilled nursing homes.
Tricia didn’t initially see herself working with geriatrics, but as she became aware of the perseverance and wisdom this population embodies, she saw it as a privilege. Tricia recognizes that some of her residents feel as though they are nearing their final stages of life. She believes that her attitude, as well as yours and mine, have the capacity to bring joy to these moments that may be precious to our residents.
Practically speaking, Tricia shared three factors to success as an SLP in the skilled nursing setting. First: teamwork. Tricia painted the picture of an SLP siloed in their efforts with a resident and contrasted this image to one of an SLP working in collaboration with PT, OT, social work, nursing, and the physician. In her comparison of these two scenarios, it was evident that not only the SLP’s training and techniques, but those of all disciplines, were more effective when carried over by all members of the interdisciplinary team. Next, Tricia discussed the importance of implementing her interventions within an authentic, functional context. She shared that she tries to provide her treatments outside of the resident’s room and incorporate real-life scenarios, to increase meaning and relatability to the task. Finally, Tricia touched on the value of continued learning throughout her career as an SLP. Tricia has taken advantage of some of the courses available on Reliant University, as well as the opportunity to participate in the Clinical Ladder program. Specifically, she highlighted the course “Disorders and Medications That Impact Swallowing,” describing it as eye-opening and beneficial to her everyday practice.
As Tricia shared her experiences, her light and her love for speech language therapy shined bright. Thank you, Tricia, for your inspiration, and Happy National Speech-Language-Hearing Month!
