Speech and language therapy in palliative care

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Luckett ◽  
Katherine L.P. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Care ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
The Core ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
Palliative Phase

Palliative care is an emerging specialty within the field of speech and language therapy (SLT); the discipline is currently under-represented both in specialist services and the research literature. This belies the fact that many patients in the palliative phase suffer problems with swallowing (dysphagia) and communication, the core domains of SLT practice. This chapter provides an overview of difficulties encountered in these domains by people with life-limiting conditions together with common approaches to assessment and management. Assessment and management should be person-centred, integrated into multidisciplinary care, and seek to maintain function via minimal intervention for maximum gain. More research is needed to inform appropriately integrated, person-centred models of SLT provision that enable difficulties with communication and swallowing to be addressed alongside other symptoms and care needs. It seems likely that difficulties in these domains are currently under-identified and under-treated in many cases.

Speech and language therapy in palliative care

2021 ◽  
pp. 231-240
Author(s):  
Tim Luckett ◽  
Katherine L. P. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Care ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Minimal Intervention ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
The Core ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
Palliative Phase

Palliative care is an emerging specialty within the field of speech and language therapy. The discipline is currently under-represented both in specialist services and research. Many patients in the palliative phase suffer problems with swallowing (dysphagia) and communication, the core domains of speech and language therapy practice. This chapter provides an overview of difficulties encountered in these domains by people with life-limiting conditions together with common approaches to assessment and management. Assessment and management should be person-centred, integrated into multidisciplinary care, and seek to maintain function using minimal intervention for maximum gain. More research is needed to inform appropriately integrated, person-centred models of speech and language therapy provision that enable difficulties with communication and swallowing to be addressed proactively alongside other symptoms and care needs. Difficulties in these domains are currently under-identified and undertreated in many cases.

‘There’s this big fear around palliative care because it’s connected to death and dying’: A qualitative exploration of the perspectives of undergraduate students on the role of the speech and language therapist in palliative care

2022 ◽  
pp. 026921632110508
Author(s):  
Claire A Collins
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Student Speech ◽  
Clinical Placements ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy

Background: Speech and language therapy in palliative care is a developing discipline of clinical practice. Research literature has highlighted that undergraduate palliative care education in speech and language therapy is inconsistent and inadequate. However, limited research has been carried out to date in relation to student speech and language therapists and palliative care. Aim: To explore the role of speech and language therapists in palliative care from the perspective of speech and language therapy students in Ireland. Design: A qualitative descriptive research study was conducted, involving focus group interviews. Setting/participants: Purposive sampling was used to recruit 12 student speech and language therapists from one university site for this study. Undergraduate second, third and fourth year students were eligible for inclusion. Results: This study revealed that undergraduate student speech and language therapists collectively agree that there is a role for speech and language therapy in palliative care. Although students acknowledged that speech and language therapists can make a positive difference to patients’ lives, and academic lectures were positively received, insufficient exposure to palliative care has resulted in fear, uncertainty and a lack of confidence amongst student speech and language therapists. Conclusions: A greater emphasis on palliative care is needed in undergraduate speech and language therapy education to ensure confidence and competency development. An exploration of student speech and language therapists’ experiences in a specialist palliative care unit would be advantageous to determine the appropriateness of this setting for clinical placements.

scholarly journals Role of speech and language therapy in managing dysphagia and dysphonia in lung cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. e227629
Author(s):  
Ceri Childs ◽  
Sally K Archer
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Vocal Cord Palsy ◽  
Voice Rehabilitation ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Silent Aspiration ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Specialist Services

A 75-year-old person was referred to speech and language therapy for voice rehabilitation following diagnosis of unilateral vocal cord palsy, secondary to relapsed non-small-cell lung cancer. On assessment, the patient presented with moderate–severe dysphonia. In addition, they presented with moderate pharyngeal stage dysphagia with risk of silent aspiration, which was successfully managed using a simple head turn strategy. This presentation is not atypical for patients who have disease in the upper chest or mediastinum and an increase in awareness and anticipation of such symptoms, with timely referral to appropriate specialist services, could help prevent complications associated with dysphagia, such as aspiration pneumonia and worse quality of life.

scholarly journals Characterization of the communication resources used by patients in palliative care - an integrative review

Revista CEFAC ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 879-888
Author(s):  
Carmen Lucianna Miranda e Silva ◽  
Camila Bertoncelo ◽  
Ana Paula Brandão Barros ◽  
Marina Padovani
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Verbal Communication ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Language Therapist

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to integrative review of publications concerning the role of speech and language therapists in regards to communication strategies in palliative care, as well as the characterization of the types of communication used in these cases. The search was conducted in the databases SciELO, LILACS and PubMed from 2001 to 2016. The studies selected included abstracts or full articles addressing aspects of communication in palliative care, especially those related to speech and language therapy, with an emphasis on communication. Ten articles focused on communication, and published after 2004, were selected, half being literature reviews, two, case reports, two others, quantitative exploratory studies, and one, a qualitative exploratory study, with only 3 specifically describing the communication strategies used by speech and language therapists in patients in palliative care. The descriptors found were: palliative care, communication, speech and language therapy, quality of life, dysphagia, swallowing and elderly. Four of the ten articles showed the importance of patients communication in palliative care. When described, it is up to the speech and language therapist to provide family support, evaluate the patient, favore patient-family and patient-team intervention, manage and intervene in communication and swallowing. Finally, the most used communication strategies were non-verbal communication, communication board, electronic equipment, verbal communication and speech valve. The analysis of the characterization of the communication in palliative care over the past 15 years allowed concluding that the attention to communication is recent and is only described in a few reports, includes non-verbal communication in different ways as the most frequent resource, but provides oral communication as an important factor for maintaining dignity and comfort in this scenario. Speech and language therapist are the main interlocutors for the maintenance, mediation and adaptation of communication, within the multidisciplinary team as well as among patients, their family and the care team.

scholarly journals Speech and language therapy for primary progressive aphasia: Referral patterns and barriers to service provision across the UK

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1349-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Volkmer ◽  
Aimee Spector ◽  
Jason D Warren ◽  
Suzanne Beeke
Keyword(s):  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Relevant Evidence

Objective To assess the extent of UK speech and language therapy engagement in assessment and management of primary progressive aphasia, determine the factors contributing to any shortfall and explore a gap in the research literature on current speech and language therapy practices with people with primary progressive aphasia. Methods A 37-item, pilot-tested survey was distributed electronically via clinical networks and through the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Survey items included questions on intervention approaches, referral numbers and demographics, referral sources and access to services. Results One hundred and five speech and language therapists completed the survey. Over the previous 24 months, respondents reported seeing a total of 353 people with primary progressive aphasia (an average of 3.27 per speech and language therapist). Neurologists were the most commonly reported referrers to speech and language therapy (22.5%). Seventy-eight percent of respondents reported that people with primary progressive aphasia experienced barriers to accessing speech and language therapy. Key barriers were a lack of referrer awareness of a speech and language therapist’s role, and restrictive eligibility criteria for services. Conclusions This study highlighted inequities in access to speech and language therapy for people with primary progressive aphasia. The medical and speech and language therapy professions need to develop appropriate care pathways for people with primary progressive aphasia. Speech and language therapists have a duty to develop a relevant evidence base for speech and language interventions for people with primary progressive aphasia.

scholarly journals Video Use in Reflective Practice: Experience from Educating Speech and Language Therapists

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Stokes ◽  
Keena Cummins
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Education Professionals ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Skills ◽  
Practice Experience

This case study shares the experiences of speech and language therapy lecturers in higher education using video with students and practitioners to support reflective practice. The authors believe that video forms a fundamental role in developing the core skills of health, social and education professionals. Frequently teachers in higher education and students alike present with a reluctance to engage with the use of video. Possible reasons for this are discussed. The importance of careful preparatory and debriefing sessions is emphasized, as is the need for an observation schedule. The key ingredients to ensuring that video is effective as a learning tool as well as the challenges are examined. The experience may well have resonance with others in higher education involved in the development of critical reflection associated with students’ communication and interaction.

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