What is it about?
This article explores how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) support those with swallowing difficulties at the end of life. It reviews current research on the role of SLPs, the challenges they face, and how their work can improve comfort and quality of life for patients and families.
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Why is it important?
Swallowing concerns are common near the end of life, and SLPs’ expertise can reduce discomfort and support dignity. However, their role is often misunderstood or underutilized. This review highlights the need for clearer guidelines and better integration of SLPs into palliative care teams.
Perspectives
As an oncologic SLP, I frequently work with patients nearing the end of life. Over time, I began to notice that while our clinical contributions to swallowing care are meaningful, our role is often overlooked in palliative care planning. SLPs bring valuable expertise that can improve comfort and support dignity, yet we are not consistently included in these interdisciplinary conversations. This motivated me to explore our role more deeply; to understand the barriers to involvement and identify ways we can better integrate into palliative care teams.
Sanora Yonan
City of Hope National Medical Center
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Essential Role of Speech-Language Pathologists in End-of-Life Swallowing Intervention: A Narrative Review, Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, September 2025, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA),
DOI: 10.1044/2025_persp-25-00023.
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