The crucial role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in hospice and palliative settings receives a long-overdue focus in End-of-Life Care Considerations for the Speech-Language Pathologist, the fifth volume in Plural’s Medical Speech-Language Pathology book series. Seasoned clinicians provide a practical guide to the terminology, context, and knowledge needed to employ best practices and address the specific needs of patients nearing the end of life. As a profession, speech-language pathology focuses primarily on rehabilitation, with the expectation that patients’ function will improve with intervention. For patients with life-limiting conditions, SLPs play an important role in supporting patients’ communication, cognition, eating, drinking, and swallowing with an emphasis on quality of living. Clinical professionals require tailored resources to develop their knowledge and skills related to appropriate care and treatment in hospice and palliative care contexts, which have been hard to find until now. Nearly all patients experience difficulties with communication and eating as they near the end of life. Patients, family members, and professionals benefit if the patient can communicate their symptoms, indicate the effectiveness of symptom management strategies, participate in setting care goals, and engage in social-emotional and spiritual conversations with family and members of the care team. This book provides SLP professionals guidance in how to offer meaningful assessments and interventions that meet patients’ needs. The book contains case examples together with the latest research and contributing clinicians’ years of experience. Supported by these effective and thoughtful strategies, SLPs can offer both comfort and care for patients in their final days. Key Features: * An overview of and introduction to the key concepts and benefits of hospice and palliative care * Guidance on terminology and standard models of end-of-life care * Adult and pediatric case studies with frequently encountered scenarios * Chapters authored by a renowned team of contributors * Discussion of legal and ethical considerations * Practical techniques and strategies for assessment and intervention

The Oxford Textbook of Palliative Social Work is a comprehensive, evidence-informed text that addresses the needs of professionals who provide interdisciplinary, culturally sensitive, biopsychosocial-spiritual care for patients and families living with life-threatening illness. Social workers from diverse settings will benefit from its international scope and wealth of patient and family narratives. Unique to this scholarly text is its emphasis on the collaborative nature inherent in palliative care. This definitive resource is edited by two leading palliative social work pioneers who bring together an array of international authors who provide clinicians, researchers, policy-makers, and academics with a broad range of content to enrich the guidelines recommended by the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care.

"The crucial role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in hospice and palliative settings receives a long-overdue focus in End-of-Life Care Considerations for the Speech-Language Pathologist"--

Speech-Language Pathologists are increasingly involved in end-of-life care for individuals with communication and swallowing impairments. The role of the SLP in promoting a clinically appropriate and ethically sound approach to treatment of patients before and during the dying process is becoming more prevalent. This case-based program explores the issues surrounding the presence, evaluation and treatment of communication disorders and dysphagia at the end of life. The presenters focus on the ethical decision-making paradigms that can guide clinicians through the challenges that arise, and explore the shared decision-making process between patient, caregiver, and within the treatment team. Outcome literature related to the use of artificial nutrition and hydration, as it relates to the recommendations of the SLP, is discussed. Because consensus among team members (including patients and families) is often the key contributor to success of the treatment plan, negotiation strategies to manage conflict are presented.

A doctor on the front lines of hospital care illuminates one of the most important and controversial social issues of our time. It is harder to die in this country than ever before. Though the vast majority of Americans would prefer to die at home—which hospice care provides—many of us spend our last days fearful and in pain in a healthcare system ruled by high-tech procedures and a philosophy to “fight disease and illness at all cost.” Dr. Ira Byock, one of the foremost palliative-care physicians in the country, argues that how we die represents a national crisis today. To ensure the best possible elder care, Dr. Byock explains we must not only remake our healthcare system but also move beyond our cultural aversion to thinking about death. The Best Care Possible is a compelling meditation on medicine and ethics told through page-turning life-or-death medical drama. It has the power to lead a new national conversation.

The second edition of Medical Speech--Language Pathology: A Practitioner's Guide presents the latest information on neurological communication disorders and swallowing and voice disorders in adults. The book features complete coverage of the pathophysiology of communication disorders, describing the underlying degenerative, neurogenic, and psychogenic causes of speech-language impairments. A thorough review of the theoretical issues involved provides practitioners with the conceptual framework needed to develop effective treatments that address both functionality and the quality of life of the patient.Features: Practical approaches to the diagnosis and management of common disorders such as aphasia, dysphagia, and more Strategies for rehabilitating patients with conditions such as head and neck cancer and dementia Comprehensive discussion of service delivery issues, such as the interface between speech--language pathology and psychiatry, and approaches to patient management in acute care and intensive care settings Study questions at the end of each chapter--ideal for reviewing key concepts Extensive lists of references to aid pursuit of topics in more depth Medical Speech--Language Pathology serves the needs of all speech--language pathologists, otolaryngologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, researchers, and students in these specialties for a single-volume reference on all aspects of care for patients with communication disorders.