DD SIG Navigating the Path Episode 3: The ALS Association

Summary

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4D: Deep Dive into Degenerative Diseases – Navigating the Path, Episode 3: The ALS Association

Host: Ken Vanako (Physical Therapist, Outpatient Neuro Clinic at Brown University Health; Podcast Committee, DD SIG)
Guests:

• Lauren Lamar (Care Services Manager, ALS Association)
• Kyle Vasher (Liaison Coordinator, DD SIG; Physical Therapist)
  Release Date: May 29, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode, released during ALS Awareness Month, spotlights the ALS Association. Host Ken Vanako leads an insightful conversation with Lauren Lamar, Care Services Manager at the ALS Association, and Kyle Vasher, DD SIG Liaison Coordinator. Together, they explore the ALS Association’s key roles, resources, and strategies for supporting people with ALS and their caregivers, emphasizing the power of early support, multidisciplinary care, and accessible resources for both families and healthcare providers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Guest Roles & ALS Challenges

• Lauren’s Role:
  • As care services manager, she is often one of the first points of contact after diagnosis ([01:44]).
  • Provides emotional support, coordinates resources, equipment, home modifications, and guides patients through the initial shock.
• Impact of Diagnosis:
  • ALS diagnosis often comes as a complete shock to patients and their families.
  • Primary role is to “provide them with as much support as possible” ([02:45]) to ease this transition.

2. Support for Newly Diagnosed Individuals

• Structured Guidance:
  • Patients often ask: “What can I expect? What are the next steps?” ([03:54])
  • ALS Association offers a six-part newly diagnosed support group, providing education on the journey ahead, advocacy, and family adjustment ([04:14]).
• Practical Resources:
  • Immediate assistance with Medicare, Social Security Disability, Medicaid, and future planning for home care ([05:17]).
  • Focus on maximizing independence and making homes ADA-accessible, aiming for the “best quality of life as possible” ([05:50]).

3. Caregiver Support

• Dedicated Support Groups:
  • Caregiver-only groups allow sharing of unique experiences and struggles ([07:11]).
  • Grant programs for respite care are available based on location and funding, aiming to prevent caregiver burnout ([07:11], [08:18]).
• Community and Peer Support:
  • Peer networks help caregivers connect and support one another through daily challenges.

4. Access to ALS Association Resources

• Finding Help:
  • Priority on enrolling in ALS multidisciplinary clinics, which provide PT, OT, nutrition, social work, and care coordination ([10:09]).
  • Website (ALS.org) offers resources, local care managers, and both patient and provider guides ([10:09], [11:19]).
• Resource Portal:
  • Free educational guides for patients of all ages and for medical professionals ([11:19]).

5. Clinician and Provider Tools

• ALS Academy Training Modules:
  • Resources specifically for PTs and OTs, including guidance on writing treatment plans/goals tailored to progressive diseases ([12:42], [13:40]).
  • Help address the challenge of justifying skilled therapy to insurers when progress may be limited ([13:40]).
  • Quote: “It gives you kind of guidances of how…treatment plan should be written, how goals should be written. Because ALS as it is a degenerative disease… progress isn’t necessarily expected.” – Kyle ([13:40])
• Caregiver Training Videos:
  • Visualization aids for safe transfers, positioning, and at-home safety ([15:17]).

6. In-person Community & Awareness Events

• Events:
  • Local and regional walkathons, 5Ks, and other events to raise awareness and funds ([16:42]).
  • Event information filtered by location on the ALS.org website.

7. Research and Advocacy Opportunities

• Patient Participation:
  • Encouragement to enroll in the national registry for research updates and clinical trial opportunities ([18:13]).
  • Research teams available at certified clinics to help patients navigate eligibility for clinical trials.
• Advocacy:
  • Engagement with the ALS Association helps advance funding and policy efforts across the US ([21:04], [21:46]).

8. Underutilized Resources

• Insurance Navigator:
  • Dedicated support line for insurance questions, denial assistance, plan comparisons, and benefits guidance ([19:57], [20:35]).
  • Quote: “Just pick up the phone and call the…the ALS insurance benefits line and there will be somebody there to guide you and to help you and also to advocate.” – Lauren ([19:57])

9. Messages for Patients, Families, and Clinicians

• Positive Attitude is Key:
  • Lauren: “The attitude that you have towards living and adjusting the way that you’re living…not everything is going to be the same…But, you know, leaning on your caregiver, leaning on a friend, having conversations with people and finding some light and some joy is what you’re going to want to do…” ([22:21])
• Focus on Participation and Life Enjoyment:
  • Kyle: “…their life is not over. There’s still life to live, and it’s okay to go out and do those things that you want to do. And like Lauren was saying, if you need to use a cane…that’s okay…our goal is to help people do as much as they can and enjoy life as much as they can.” ([24:23])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Nobody expects that they’re going to get ALS. …then they find out that they have a limited amount of time to live. That’s very shocking and very sad. …my role is to provide them with as much support as possible.” – Lauren ([01:44])
• “We tell them just to take everything step by step…whatever you have questions on, that’s what we’re here for.” – Lauren ([04:14])
• “We want to make it so they don’t have to fully rely on the caregiver. …just trying to make that possible for as long as possible is our mission.” – Lauren ([05:50])
• "Caregivers…have each other and can lean on one another for those types of things." – Lauren ([07:11])
• “Anything to further augment our education and bring us into the home a little bit to help just carry over things that we’re teaching. Those sound like excellent resources.” – Ken ([16:08])
• "By signing up for the national registry, it's making a big step for everyone…" – Lauren ([18:49])
• “It’s okay to take time and go have fun. …I think that's the point of…all that we're doing: so they can have an enjoyable life and spend time with those that they love and do things that they want to do.” – Kyle ([24:23])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00–01:44 — Introduction to show, guests, and episode theme
• 01:45–04:14 — Lauren describes her role and first contact with newly diagnosed ALS patients
• 04:14–05:50 — Support groups and resources for newly diagnosed individuals
• 05:51–07:11 — Support for caregivers, including grants and peer groups
• 07:11–10:09 — Geographic variation in resources, and how families connect with the ALS Association
• 10:10–12:17 — Navigating ALS.org; resource portal for patients/caregivers/providers
• 12:18–15:17 — Kyle on clinician resources; ALS Academy overview
• 15:18–16:42 — Free education modules, caregiver training videos
• 16:43–18:13 — Walkathons, awareness events, and community involvement
• 18:13–19:41 — Research participation and national registry
• 19:57–21:04 — Underutilized resources: insurance navigator and advocacy
• 21:05–24:16 — Parting messages: focus on attitude, participation, and quality of life
• 26:37–28:09 — Guests share about life outside work: beach, family, PhD pursuits
• 28:33–31:07 — Episode wrap-up and informal post-recording banter

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Final Takeaways

• The ALS Association provides a comprehensive support system, from immediate post-diagnosis guidance to specialized caregiver support, equipment, financial assistance, and research engagement.
• Multidisciplinary clinics are highly recommended for holistic, coordinated care.
• Free educational resources and training modules are available for both families and medical providers, aiming to empower all stakeholders involved.
• Maintaining optimism, fostering participation in life, and creating a strong support network can help individuals and families navigate the challenges of ALS.

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For More Information:
Visit ALS.org to find resources, connect with your local chapter or care manager, volunteer, and access the latest research opportunities.

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Credits:
Podcast by the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group.
Special thanks to guests Lauren Lamar, Kyle Vasher, and the ANPT podcast production team.

Transcript

[A]

This is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, rehabilitation or treatment. Patients and other members of the general public should always seek the advice of a qualified health care professional regarding personal health and medical conditions. Welcome to 4D Deep Dive into Degenerative Diseases, gaining insights through casual and amusing clinical conversations welcome to 4D, a podcast brought to you by the Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy component of the apta. Welcome to Navigating the Path, our series where each month we introduce our listeners to an organization that supports people with neurodegenerative diseases and their caregivers. We will be joined by a member of our DD SIG liaison team who which helps us gather and share valuable insights from these organizations. Each episode will also interview representatives from the featured organizations to learn more about the services and support they provide. I'm Ken Vanako, a physical therapist in the Outpatient Neuro Clinic at Brown University Health and on the Podcast Committee of the DD sig. In honor of May being ALS Awareness Month, I'm excited to be here with Lauren Lamar, who has her Master's in Education and is a Care Services Manager at the ALS association along with Kyle Vasher, our Liaison Coordinator with the anpt. Lauren, let's start with you first. Tell us a little bit more about yourself and your role at the ALS Association.

[B]

So I am a care services manager and I attend University of South Florida Multidisciplinary ALS Course Clinic and James A. Haley VA ALS Clinic. Both of them are excellent clinics and provide support to the individuals that were diagnosed with this terrible disease. Most of the times I do see the patients when they're very first diagnosed at the clinic and I'm probably one of the first people that they get a chance to meet face to face. So I'm, you know, hearing their, their story and how they're so shocked with having this diagnosis. I mean, nobody expects that they're going to get als. You know, these are, you know, people living regular day to day lives and, you know, then they find out that they have a limited amount of time, you know, to live. And that's very shocking and it's very sad. And the ALS association, my role in particular is to provide them with as much support as possible. Whether that's the support groups that we offer, whether that's providing them with equipment from our equipment loan program, you know, getting them a ramp, getting them home modifications with our virtual home modification assessment, you know, whatever we can do to provide that support to make it just a little bit easier is what my role is. And that's what I really do on a day to day basis.

[A]

Well, that's amazing. Well, first off, thank you for what you do because obviously you play such a vital role in helping these people at such a crucial and like fragile time when they're newly diagnosed. It has to be really hard. And there must be some really challenging conversations too that first come up when you're, you're seeing these folks.

[B]

Absolutely, it's very challenging. They say, what can I expect? You know, what are the next steps, what should I do? And you know, we provide them with the education and guides, but sometimes it can be so overwhelming.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So we tell them just to take everything, you know, step by step, you know, if we can, you know, kind of guide you, you know, whatever you have questions on. That's what we're here for. We're here to answer their questions. We do offer a newly diagnosed support group as well, which is a six part series and it's very helpful with talking about the journey, how to advocate for yourself, what to expect in these coming years with this disease and how is it going to affect you and your family and all the changes that come with that.

[A]

Right. Well, it's great to hear that you're getting those folks set up with support really early on. For someone who comes into the clinic newly diagnosed, let's say, aside from getting them set up with these support groups, what else are you trying to get these folks started with and what are some of the newly diagnosed resources that the ALS association can offer?

[B]

We're really trying to get them make sure if they're not set up with Medicare already to get set up with Medicare. And we have a disability advocate who is, you know, partnered with the ALS association, who is there to help them every step of the way with getting Medicare, Social Security, disability with, get setting up with long term care for Medicaid, assistance, for home care. Because maybe they don't need home care at this time, but you need to know about the process because when that time does come, we don't want the patient to be overwhelmed or, you know, shuffling around. We tell them about how to make their home ADA accessible, you know, how to get those home modifications done so that, you know, they're able to, you know, still be independent and, you know, have the best quality of life as possible. And we want to make it so they don't have to fully rely on the caregiver. A lot of these people, they Want to still have, you know, independence. Right. So, you know, just trying to make that possible for as long as possible is our mission.

[A]

Yeah, that's a fantastic mission. And sounds like you really do try and empower these individuals and what is a really challenging diagnosis. You mentioned the caregivers, which I assume is like such a huge role too, in working with this population. What are some of the resources that you're able to offer these caregivers, sort of whether they're newly diagnosed or as they're moving through their diagnosis?

[B]

So we do have a caregiver only support group, which is great. We do offer grants as well. Depending on, you know, what, what city and what area you reside in, you may qualify, you know, for a grant. If the ALS association doesn't directly, you know, have a respite care grant or something like that to accommodate them, there are other community resources, you know, depending on their location, that they may actually qualify for. So this kind of gives the caregiver, the main caregiver, a break so that they don't get burnout. And those support groups are really, really helpful because that's a chance to interact with other caregivers, to share experiences to, you know, talk about some of those day to day struggles that only a caregiver would know about. So it's good that they have each other and can lean on one another for those types of things.

[A]

Yeah, that like peer support must be so powerful and so helpful for those individuals. A lot of those, like grants that you're mentioning and resources from the ALS association, are those widespread across the country? Does it become more individualized depending on the state and region that someone's living in?

[B]

Yeah, depending on the funds available, depending on the resources in that area are, you know, how the grants would break down ultimately.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But, you know, we try to, you know, provide support and, you know, a fair chance to every person that needs it. And if we don't have something directly, we're going to make sure that you can get it. Whether that's from another organization, you know, we definitely will try to find it.

[A]

Yeah, I've been so impressed by our local ALS association and the resources that they're able to provide patients and their families through, like, our local clinic. It's been just amazing what these folks have access to. You know, it's really helpful.

[B]

Yeah, it gets, it gets really hard, especially when, you know, that person in the family, you know, was the breadwinner, you know, they're used to being, you know, the breadwinner for their family. And now they have this terrible diagnosis, and that really makes things, you know, take a turn, right?

[A]

Absolutely. For individuals and families who want to get connected with the ALS association, of course, those folks who go to clinics that are associated with the association can, I assume, easily get connected. Is that the best way? Or is like, should they be reaching out online or.

[B]

So I truly believe that every person that is diagnosed with ALS needs to immediately get into an ALS multidisciplinary clinic. Those clinics are so beneficial. They have your physical therapy, your occupational therapy, your nutrition, a social worker there. You have all the support you need right there. And then you get to meet with me as well, and I will talk you through and guide you as well. But also, you can go on als.org you can search your local care manager, and you can find resources in your community and help that way.

[A]

Now, I love the plug for multidisciplinary clinics. We are a huge fan of mdc, so love that you didn't, like, put that plug in and that. Yeah, it's so helpful for those folks to be associated with these clinics. I just want to echo that in terms of the website. And are there particular resources that folks can access on the website?

[B]

Yes, there are. We now have our order portal open, and it's free of charge. So you can go on there. You can order guides, educational guides, maybe if you have teens or young ones, you know, kind of talks through what ALS is, how to handle it, how to handle, you know, grief, how to handle speech changes. And I really think it's beneficial to have those guys on the order portal that are actually free and they can order hard copies right to their home, which is great. So if you go on ALS.org, it has a bunch of information and also has information for medical providers as well. Medical providers that want to learn more about what ALS is, how to better treat people with als. They have that information on there for you, too.

[A]

That's great. So from patients to caregivers to medical providers, it sounds like there's a lot of resources available there. Kyle, I wanted to pivot over to you quickly here. As the liaison for the DD SIG for the ALS association, could you tell us a little bit about the resources that you've come across on the website or through the organization?

[C]

Yeah, absolutely. Like Lauren was mentioning, one of the biggest things that I found beneficial personally in my own practice was the resource in the list of the. The ALS associated clinics and the multidisciplinary clinics, because I live in kind of rural, large, rural California, where we're about two hours from la, and we don't have the greatest support system for those patients. And one thing I've benefited a lot from is being able to provide patients with those specific clinics with the specific information so that they can reach out, so they can kind of get the support that they need. As far as other resources on the ALS association website, one thing that I found to be pretty beneficial is they have what they call the ALS Academy, and specifically for PTs and OTs, they have a training module that can work on help, you know, if you're not super familiar with ALS or the disease progression. It gives you kind of guidances of how, you know, treatment plan should be written, how goals should be written. Because ALS as it is a degenerative disease, you know, as physical therapists, a lot of times we're not expecting significant improvement, which when it comes to certain Medicare, certain insurances, especially with Medicare, you know, traditionally we have to demonstrate the progress and the need for that continued skilled therapy, whereas that can be difficult with ALS and other degenerative conditions where that progress isn't necessarily expected. So on the website, especially in the ALS Academy, it gives a lot of training and resources for clinicians on how to write well written goals so that we can demonstrate our skill therapy needs for this specific population.

[A]

That is excellent. I'm gonna have to check out those resources, but it also sounds like such a good place for someone to start if they're, like you were saying, not as familiar with the disease or having treated this population before. Like just a great place to hopefully generate some ideas and help guide and manage care just a little bit more smoothly. Are those resources and those like training modules, do you know if there's a fee associated with them? This could be a question for you too, Lauren.

[C]

Yeah, no, as far as I've seen, all of the modules are free. You just have to create an account. Also another plug on there, it's kind of under their caregiving, the caregiver training section of the ALS Academy. These modules which I have used with patients and their caregivers across the board, especially when it comes to transfer training, they have different visualization videos where they're talking about, you know, a slide board transfer, a stand pivot transfer, you know, proper guarding, proper positioning for the caregivers and things to avoid. I found that those videos are good kind of reminders, you know, when we are not there as the clinicians that can help those patients and their family members.

[A]

Yeah, anything to further augment our education and bring us into the home. A Little bit to help just carry over things that we're teaching. Those sound like excellent resources. That's great.

[C]

Definitely.

[A]

Aside from a lot of those resources online, are there any like in person type events that the ALS association does, whether it be like across the country or more is like, is that more like a local or by region kind of thing that might be done?

[C]

So one thing that I've seen a lot of is there are different kind of categories of events that they have. They have much larger kind of regional corporate events where it may be a walkathon or a, you know, a 5K, different events to raise money for ALS and ALS awareness and research. And on the website you can search for different ways to get involved and then, you know, you can further fill filter by your location, which, you know, is a really good way to find locations specifically in your area that you can reach out to and get involved. And one thing, you know, that I found helpful too is just putting up a flyer in the clinic because a lot of people, you know, when you say als, they don't know what you're talking about kind of in the general public. But I believe that as we, you know, raise awareness to what the disease is, it's just another step in helping more people become involved and, you know, furthering that research mission and helping these individuals out better.

[A]

Yeah, and the more awareness we bring, the more support that these, these folks can get ultimately, which of course we all want. That's great. Lauren. In terms of like research that the ALS association is involved in, are there projects or are there ways for individuals to sign up to be participants in research projects?

[B]

Absolutely. I highly recommend to all the patients that I come in contact with that they sign up for the national registry. The national registry, you know, will keep you up to date on all the research that's going on and they will also ask survey questions about your diagnosis specifically and hopefully try to find a commonality and get to a cure eventually. The more people that know about it, the more people that are involved, hopefully there will be a cure eventually.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So definitely by signing up for the national registry, it's making a big step for everyone right now.

[A]

It's so good to maybe direct people there if they're interested. And I know many that I've worked with are interested just because of course, it's such a devastating and terrible disease. And trying, trying to find any way, of course, that they can, can help themselves or others through that research is such a great avenue they can take.

[B]

Yeah. And it's really helpful even at the clinics, they do have a research team as well, depending on whether it's a certified clinic or not. But it's great just that, you know, have that research, you know, piece there and someone to break down, you know, the clinical trials and, you know, what they would be qualified for.

[A]

That's great. In terms of the organization as a whole, what are some of the more like underutilized resources that the association has or something that folks might not know about?

[B]

I think our insurance navigator, we now have the insurance navigator, which handles denials quite frequently. A lot of people, you know, do have insurance denials, and it's really unfortunate, but we have that, you know, ALS insurance and benefits line. We have the insurance navigator. So if you would like to compare plans or have a question about something, you know, just pick up the phone and call the, you know, the ALS insurance benefits line and there will be somebody there to guide you and to help you and also to advocate.

[A]

Yeah, that's great that there is that. That's again, that support system. Someone at the other end of the line that might be able to direct them to the right resources and help them again in what could be a really challenging situation in the insurance climate that we are all in right now.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

For folks who are looking to get more involved in the ALS association, where should they go or what could be the next step for them?

[B]

So by contacting, going on ALS.org and contacting your care services manager in your area, that will be the first step. They will get you connected to volunteer engagement and whatever the need may be in your specific area. They will ask you for your assistance. I know we have a great advocacy team that, you know, goes up to Capitol Hill and make sure that, you know, funding and, you know, everything is in place for the ALS community so that we can keep doing what we're doing and we can keep expanding. So, you know, that's definitely how you can help.

[A]

That's great. Great. Definitely want to direct people to that if they want to get more involved. We've talked about how it can be really challenging, but also really rewarding working with this population. Right. And there's an opportunity to make a really large impact on these individuals and their families. Question to both you, Lauren and Kyle. What is maybe one thing that you really make sure that you tell these individuals or a message that you want to share with them?

[B]

So besides, you know, giving them resources and education and overwhelming them with all of that, sometimes I tell them that having a positive attitude is going to be number one in this entire journey. The, The. The attitude that you have towards living and adjusting the way that you're living. Not everything is going to be the same. Some things are going to change with this disease. You're not going to maybe be able to, you know, throw the ball the way you used to or get up and walk independently how you used to, and you may need a little assistance, but that's okay. But, you know, leaning on your caregiver, leaning on a friend, having conversations with people and finding some light and some joy is what you're going to want to do. You know, throughout having this disease. You know, whether, you know, you're turning to, you know, spirituality or whatever, you know, reading a book, whatever comforts you is. Is what you really need. Because this is. This is definitely a tough journey. And, you know, the ALS association, we're here to make it easy, but ultimately, it's up to you to, you know, have that positive attitude within yourself right now.

[A]

I think that's such a fantastic message. Again, trying to empower them to be in control of their condition as much as they can be and try and cope and find different avenues. Right, to. There's. They are still who they. They are, but may need some modifications along the way. Right?

[B]

Yeah, exactly. And there's. There's nothing wrong with that.

[A]

Right? Right. How about you, Kyle?

[C]

And just kind of to piggyback off what Lauren said, you know, as physical therapists, a lot of times we're working so much on, you know, helping patients make sure they're doing their exercises at home or they're walking as much as they could be or whatever it might be. But one thing I especially, you know, patients with ALS or other, you know, degenerative diseases can be challenging. I always feel like it's important to remind patients the reasons why they're doing therapy. You know, their life is not over. There's still life to live, and it's okay to go out and do those things that you want to do. And like Lauren was saying, if you need to use a cane, if you need to use the walker, if you have to take the wheelchair and use the walker, those are both okay. Because, you know, as physical therapists, our goal is to help people do as much as they can and enjoy life as much as they can. Especially with, you know, conditions such as ALS, it's constant Dr. Visits, constant tests, constant therapy appointments. It's okay to take time and go have fun. And because I think that's the point of, you know, all that we're doing is so they can have an enjoyable life and spend time with those that they love and do things that they want to do.

[A]

Right. I think that's, again, another great message and really focuses on that participation level, of course, that we all know, and that connection to someone's quality of life. And something that I think is a great reminder for clinicians, like, it's the why of why we're doing this is to help people be people and to get them to be able to be themselves and participate in the way that they love to do those. Both excellent messages that I think we could all kind of share with our patients that we're working with that have als. The last question I have for both of you, though, is really a tradition we have here on the DD SIG where we ask each of our guests what they like to do outside of work. So, Lauren, maybe you could start. Sure.

[B]

So I am in the Sunshine State, so I love to go to the beach. I'm always at the beach. You will find me at the beach all the time with a very friendly drink in my hand and just walking the shoreline and enjoying life. I mean, it's. It's great. I love the weather. I love the water. It's. It's a perfect combo.

[A]

Yeah. The Florida beaches are nice. I mean, maybe not like the Ocean State where I'm from in Rhode island, but different kind of. Different kind of sand, different kind of beaches. They're beautiful.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Remind me, are you east coast or like west coast? Gulf. Gulf of Mexico.

[B]

West coast, which is. Oh, which is great. Right on the water there. Yeah.

[A]

Gorgeous. Yeah. How about you, Kyle? What do you like to do when you're not at work?

[C]

You might hear them screaming. Right now, I have two young children. One's seven and one's two. So anytime at night at work, a lot of it's spent with them. And also just recently, I went back to school to. I started PhD program last January. So there's. That takes up a lot of time when, you know, not at work or with kids. So.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Got my hands full.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yep.

[A]

I think you both probably fill your time with some really great things. It sounds like things that fill your cups. Right. It's been such a pleasure to learn more about the ALS association and sort of the resources that it has to offer. Sounds like you both are really involved and super helpful in working with your patients, too. So thank you for all that you.

[B]

Do and thank you for having us.

[A]

The Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy and its collaborators disclaim any liability to any party for any loss or damage by errors or omissions in this publication. The views or opinions expressed are those of the individual creators and do not necessarily represent the position of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy. Thanks for joining us and special thanks to our guests today, Lauren Lamar from the ALS association and Kyle Vasher, the DD SIG liaison for the ALS Association. This podcast was produced and edited by the ANPT Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group Podcast Team. For more information on this SIG and the ANPT, visit www.neuropt.org. our podcast team includes Sarah Zoller, Christina Burke, Parm Padgett, Jeff Schmidt, Shannon Brown, Skylar Ross, and I'm Ken Vanocco. Thanks to Jimmy McKay for providing music. Please share this episode with a colleague. Today we're going to have the most perfect recording, so we're not going to even need to edit anything. It's just going to be so good.

[B]

All right, the. The pressure is on now.

[A]

Actually, I'm just getting some messages in from HQ here, so I gotta. I gotta take a look at these.

[D]

All right, you guys, I am totally messing this up. It is so classic. I'm like, oh, I had a thought for Ken. And then Sarah direct messaged me. And then I was like, oh, wait, I'm gonna reply to Sarah, but by accident or replied to Kyle. And then. And then like, so Kyle's like, now Kyle's responding to something that, like, probably makes no sense to you. And then I sent a message to Kyle and Prime was like, he already talked a lot.

[A]

And I was like, well, I was.

[D]

Trying to do bedtime, then I was gonna say something again. So then I accidentally sent the message to Sarah to Ken later on. Like, I. It's all my fault.

[B]

Oh, come on. Your answer was better. Mine was the fun one.

[D]

Also, the AI thing just said, are you speaking a different language?

[A]

Oh, my God.

[D]

You have a great voice. And you didn't screw up at all. Like, I screw up all the time. You got through all the things without one mess up was like, that's impressive. I tried. I tried. I tried with everything tonight, and nothing worked.

[A]

I even left the dog outside by accident.

[B]

I was like, oh, my God, I'm failing on every level.