Episode 7: End of Life Care and Dysphagia

06/24/21 • 58 min

Guest: Caitlin Saxtein MS, CCC-SLP, BCSS, CBIS: For this episode of the Understanding Dysphagia Podcast, we are joined by Caitlin Saxtein to talk about end-of-life care and palliative care. Caitlin Saxtein MS, CCC-SLP, BCSS, CBIS is a medical speech-language pathologist currently working in the acute care setting and has experience in subacute, rehabilitation, outpatient, and home health. She also has an extensive background with East End Hospice, having volunteered with them for nearly 15 years. In our conversation, we talk with Caitlin about how she became passionate about end-of-life care during her many years of volunteering and what she has learned working in the field of
palliative care. Palliative care is sometimes assumed to mean end-of-life care, even among
some health workers, but this is not necessarily the case. Caitlin unpacks the term and
explains how palliative care is distinct from hospice care, describing palliative care as
specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness to improve the quality of life for
patients and their families. We discuss alternate means of nourishment and why feeding a
loved one who is ill is so significant for a family. Later, we discuss advance directives, outlining
what they are and how they impact your medical choices when you can no longer make them
yourself. We wrap by hearing from Caitlin about how she practices self-care, especially during
the COVID-19 pandemic. For all this and much more, join us today for a wonderful
conversation about Caitlin's experiences with palliative care!

Previous Episode

Episode 6: Stroke and Dysphagia

Guest: Sarah Breshears, MA, CCC-SLP: Today we continue our special series in collaboration with the Dysphagia Outreach Project in honor of Dysphagia Awareness Month, this time to speak about strokes with Sarah Breshears. This amazing woman is an SLP in her sixth year of practice working in an acute hospital setting, is the creative powerhouse behind Short and Sweet Speech, and on top of it all, she is the Instagram Manager for Dysphagia Outreach Project. She leads a team of five women who work to create content that is engaging, informative, and reaches those who would benefit from
DOP’s mission. We kick things with the moment of divine intervention that set Sarah off on her
track to becoming an SLP before chatting about how she got involved with DOP. From there, we
wind our way into the heavy topic of strokes, beginning with what happens to the brain when
somebody has one, the effects it can have on their life, and how to recognize early symptoms.
We also get into how strokes can result in dysphagia, and then move onto best practices for
intervention and recovery, where we highlight the necessity of PT and OT. Our conversation
covers the importance of instrumental assessment for dysphagia and the dangers of
recommending the chin tuck swallow wholesale as well. Before wrapping up, Sarah gives us all
her top tips for lowering the risk factors for strokes, so be sure to listen along with us today and
learn all that Sarah has to share.

Next Episode

Episode 8: Aerodigestive Tract Disorders

Guest: Dr. Raquel Garcia - As SLPs, it is so important that we maintain a spirit of continual learning, and today's guest, Dr. Raquel Garcia, is an exemplary example of a life-long learner. She is a trained craniofacial speech-language pathologist and works at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, where she is a core member of the craniofacial team. Raquel works in the acute care setting in the neonatal
intensive care unit and pediatric cardiac intensive care unit. In this episode, Raquel talks about
her journey to becoming an SLP and how she found her current niche. We dive into a range of
infant airway disorders, where Raquel thoroughly guides us through what we should be looking
out for. While it may appear overwhelming, Raquel is gifted at explaining complicated concepts
in a digestible, accessible manner. Our conversation also touches on the importance of
authentically connecting with other practitioners, the power of remembering our why, and
understanding the key role that the community SLP plays in helping patients and their families
overcome their difficulties. Raquel's passion for her craft is truly inspiring, so tune in to hear it
all!