June is Dysphagia Awareness Month! We asked some of our staff members why they care so much about working with swallowing disorders. Here is what they had to say:
“I am passionate about working with patients with dysphagia because eating/drinking is such a big social aspect to me! I can’t imagine being told I was not safe to eat or drink. I love that we can do instrumental swallow exams to identify a treatment plan and trial compensatory strategies in a safe environment to hopefully get our patients on the least restrictive diet and back to eating. I love the days we can happily tell the patient, their medical team, and their family that they can safely resume drinking their favorite drink or eating favorite meal! Those are the days that make all the miles worth it to me!” – Brittany Beaver, Clinical Lead
“Our team does such an amazing job connecting so many medical pieces for our patients and supporting a patient-centered decision making process. Seeing our patients as people; holding their hands and offering an actively listening ear; spending extra time answering questions and inviting their family to learn alongside with us during an exam; these are the parts that stand out to me as a dysphagia assessment provider. Since dysphagia is caused by a medical episode or condition, it is fulfilling to help advocate for additional services or assessments when needed so that our patients can gain a better understanding of their entire medical picture and maximize their health outcomes.” – Lyndsay Parker, Endoscopist
“I love working with swallowing disorders for the challenge in trying to figure out the missing puzzle piece on why someone is having difficulty with their eating and drinking. It is so rewarding to collaborate with many different therapists within our community to help solve the problem. Being able to see the joy in patients and their family members when they are able to eat their favorite food again is my absolute favorite!” – Hilary Olson, Endoscopist
For more information on how Carolina Speech Pathology plays a part in dysphagia care, check out our About Us page!
