Get the help and solutions you need while caring for a loved one in decline.
You Are Not Alone.KindTransitions offers consulting services to individuals and families who are challenged by decisions in chronic disease management.
KindTransitions also provides direct training for managing communication and behavioral changes that can accompany progressive illness.
Services
Caregiver Services
- Focused counseling and problem solving
- Support group participation
- Self-care and burnout issues
- Options for locating direct caregiving assistance in the home setting
Communication Training
- Manage communication challenges that interfere with personal and familial relationships
- Redirect challenging issues related to declines in memory and thinking
- Obtain strategies for managing mood and behavioral changes
Problem-Oriented Focus
- Detailed examination of current situation with identification of potential options and solutions
- Structured and supervised implementation of considered options
- Plan modification and refinement
Health status considerations
- Assistance with understanding current medical diagnoses and recommended procedures and treatments
- Opportunity to weigh options about obtaining additional or alternative health care consultations
Informed Discussions
- Address end-of-life planning issues, including advance directives, living wills, and health care proxies
- Understand alternatives to traditional medical intervention, including palliative care and hospice services
Community Resources
- Referrals to appropriate health care and social welfare providers
- Suggestions for relevant meetings and groups
- Electronic resources for support and information
Caregiver Services
- Brief counseling and problem solving
- Support group participation
- Self-care and burnout issues
- Options for locating direct caregiving assistance in the home setting
Health status considerations
- Assistance with understanding current medical diagnoses and recommended procedures
- Opportunity to consider options for obtaining additional or alternative health care consultations
Communication Training
- Learn how to manage communication challenges that can interfere with personal and familial relationships
- Master issues related to declines in memory and thinking
- Obtain strategies for managing mood and behavioral changes
Informed Discussions
- Understand alternatives to traditional medical intervention, including palliative care and hospice services
- Address end-of-life planning issues, including advance directives, living wills, and health care proxies
Problem-Oriented Focus
- Detailed examination of current situation
- Identification of potential options and solutions
- Structured and supervised implementation of considered options
- Plan modification and refinement
Community Resources
- Referrals to appropriate health care and social welfare providers
- Suggestions for relevant meetings
and groups - Electronic resources for support and information
We specialize in disorders affecting consciousness and communication, including:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Vascular dementia
- Parkinson disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Motor neuron and extrapyramidal disorders, including multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degenerative diseases
We specialize in disorders affecting consciousness and communication, including:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Vascular dementia
- Parkinson disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Motor neuron and extrapyramidal disorders, including multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degenerative diseases
About
Amy Lustig, PhD
Owner, KindTransitions
Welcome to Kind Transitions
I was drawn to create KindTransitions because of what I see as a gap in available support for individuals and families coping with decision-making during difficult transitional times in chronic and progressive illness.
I am originally from Philadelphia, PA. My professional training includes master’s degrees in counseling psychology and public health, and a doctoral degree in communication science and disorders. I have a broad range of experience within the health and social welfare systems that includes direct service provision in rehabilitative hospitals and counseling clinics, administration of community-based programs serving older adults, and applied clinical research on communication and caregiving in chronic illness.
Currently I own Restorative Speech & Swallow, a private speech pathology practice located in Jenkintown, PA, that is dedicated to serving adults with a wide range of communication and cognitive impairments. I teach an online course in aging and communication for the University of Pittsburgh, and provide clinical supervision for graduate speech pathology students at Salus University.
I am grateful for the opportunity to extend the vision and services of KindTransitions to the greater Philadelphia area. I look forward to engaging with the community of those struggling to cope with the challenges of declining health and chronic illness, who must address day-to-day needs while at the same time navigate a multitude of larger questions and concerns. I am hopeful that KindTransitions can help to clarify and focus decisions for families and loved ones facing these difficult situations.
Selected Publications
Lustig, A.P. (in press; scheduled for 2017). ALS and dysarthria: A case study in evidence-based intervention. In Molfenter, S.M. & Branski, R. (Eds), Adult Speech Pathology Casebook. New York, NY: Thieme.
Lustig, A P. (2014). Getting it down and getting it out: Understanding communication and swallowing in frontotemporal dementia. In Radin, L. & Radin, G. (Eds), What If It Isn’t Alzheimer’s? A Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia (3rd ed.). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
Schulz, R., Rosen, J., Klinger, J., Musa, D., Castle, N., Kane, A. & Lustig, A. (2014). Effects of a psychosocial intervention on caregivers of recently placed nursing home residents: A randomized controlled trial. Clinical Gerontologist, 37, 347-367.
Schulz, R., Czaja, S.J., Lustig, A. , Zdaniuk, B., Martire, L.M., & Perdomo, D. (2009). Improving the quality of life of caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial. Rehabilitation Psychology, 54, 1-15.
Martire, L.M., Lustig, A.P. , Schulz, R., Miller, G. E., & Helgeson, V.S. (2004). Is it beneficial to involve a family member? An integrative review and meta-analysis of family-focused interventions for chronic illness. Health Psychology, 23, 599-611.
Schulz, R., Lustig, A., Handler, S., Martire, L. (2002). Technology-based caregiver intervention research: Current status and future directions. Gerontechnology, 2, 15-47.
Selected Presentations and Digital Materials
Vitale, C., Manus, E., & Lustig, A.P. (2015). When eating problems arise in advanced dementia: An interdisciplinary approach. Conference presentation: American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
Speech pathology training for healthcare providers. Development, implementation and provision of bimonthly orientation sessions for clinical hospital providers, including physicians, nurses, and risk managers (2008-2014). Philadelphia VA Medical Center.
Lustig, A P. (2011). Evaluation and management of communication and swallowing impairments in Parkinson disease. DVD produced and distributed through the PADRECC Patient Education Video Series “My Parkinson’s story: Real problems and professional answers from the PADRECC clinics.” Veterans Administration Medical Centers, USA.
Selected Professional Affiliations and Service
Advisory Board, Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program, Salus University, 2014-present
Member, American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA), 1996-present
Founding Board Member, Veterans In Between, 2012-present
State Representative, National Aphasia Association 2002-present
Member, Pennsylvania Speech-Language and Hearing Association (PSHA), 2007-present
Member, Veterans Administration Research Task Force for Palliative Care, 2009-2014
Advisory Board, Visiting Nurses Foundation, Stroke Survivor Connection of Greater Pittsburgh, 2002-2010
Chair, Advocacy and Reimbursement Committee, ASHA Division 2, 2006-2009
Pricing
INITIAL CONSULTATION
Free
Free 15-20 minute inital
consultation to determine
whether KindTransitions is
appropriate for your needs.
SINGLE VISIT
$100
Single consultations are
priced at $100 per visit.
Visits typically last for
60-75 minutes.
3-VISIT PACKAGE
$275
3-visit packages offer cost
savings and the opportunity
to explore problems and
resolutions in greater detail.
If you are interested in purchasing or learning
more, please contact KindTransitions:
Phone: 215-460-1150 | Email: amy@kindtransitions.com
Location
Address: 419 Johnson Street, Suite 102
Jenkintown, PA 19046
Phone: 215-460-1150
Fax: 866-456-4839
Address:
419 Johnson Street Suite 102
Jenkintown, PA 19046
Phone:
215-460-1150
Fax:
866-456-4839
Directions:
Click here!
Contact