In this episode, we explore this (fictional) case study: Alejandro is a 55 yo male who was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 48. He was taken to the emergency room due to a fall in his home that resulted in mild head trauma as well as a broken wrist. A friend hadn’t heard from him in a couple of days and found him on the floor. After his acute stay in the hospital, he was taken to a post-acute care facility. While working with a team of speech, occupational, and physical therapists, the therapy team learns that he has no running water at home and that he uses a bucket for a toilet. He has a dog that he has been unable to get outside recently and so urine and feces has been collecting in the house. Alejandro is also worried about his dog and is wondering if anyone is taking care of him. When asked what he eats at home, it’s unclear if he has consistent access to food. He is quite private and is wary of others entering his home and is not willing to do a home eval. He wants to go home as soon as possible.

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Guest: Emily LoPiccolo received her Masters in Social Work from Boston College in 2015, and has been a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) since 2018. She is currently employed as a Clinical Manager within the Addictions Division at North Suffolk Mental Health Association in Boston, Massachusetts. Emily supports a dual diagnosis co-occurring enhanced residential treatment program and outpatient addiction services. She is also embedded in the communities of Chelsea and East Boston, where she provides community oversight and outreach to high risk individuals as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team. Additional special interests of hers include trauma and racial justice.

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