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0.45  ASHA CEUs

Tackling Palliative Rehabilitation: The SLP's Guide To End Of Life Services #e183


Presenters: Irene Gofman, MS, CCC-SLP & Amanda Warren, MS, CCC-SLP

Early decision making and advocacy for patients nearing the end of life.


"Instructors provided real-world scenarios and examples, as well as real-world solutions for common obstacles within the provision of palliative care at end of life."

– L.S., prior course participant

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The SLP is central to the intricate process associated with end of life, specifically due to high incidence of dysphagia, cognitive deficits, and impaired communication in this population. However, educational opportunities on this topic have been lacking. SLPs find themselves underprepared for challenging situations and with limited capability to advocate for patients' best interests.

This course reviews ways that dysphagia management, cognitive management, and communication enhancement differ in end of life care in comparison to management in other populations. Discussed will be the differences between palliative care vs. hospice, and how to facilitate conversation between the end of life patient with communication disorders and care providers/partners. Also addressed will be early decision making and advocacy for patients nearing the end of life, and cultural competency when approaching patients with diverse backgrounds.

Offered for 0.45 ASHA CEUs – 4.5 Contact Hours.

Course Overview & Run Time

Course Overview – Run Time: 4:30:00

  1. Introduction
    • Explanation and “buy-in” on why this matters to the SLP
    • Introduction to common terminology within End of Life (EoL) care
    • Introduction to ethics at EoL
  1. Dysphagia Management
    • Oropharyngeal changes in the elderly and the critically Ill
    • Dysphagia management specific to patients with dementia
    • Refusing recommendations for dysphagia treatment
    • Our role in educating staff and educating/counseling families
    • Tips for diet management and oral care at EoL
  1. AAC - Communication - Language
    • Characterizing the patient who needs communication treatment at EoL
    • What are communication needs at EoL
    • Feature matching between available AAC tools and the EoL patient
    • Facilitating communication through modalities at EoL
  1. Dementia - Cognitive
    • Types & Stages of Dementia
    • The Role of the SLP in Dementia Care
    • Cognitive-linguistic testing – what’s available and how is it best used
    • Cognitive-Linguistic treatment and EoL considerations

"Several clinical scenarios and case examples helped with functional application to my daily work. I greatly appreciated an example of how to better phrase/describe palliative care to an uncertain family/pt. The presenters were knowledgeable and had an incredible passion for this patient population."

– K.K., prior course participant

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  1. Early Decision-Making
    • Early referrals to Palliative Care/appropriate care provider
    • Overcoming barriers to early referrals to Palliative Care
    • Tools to facilitate difficult conversations
    • The Ethics of Early Referrals
  1. Cultural Competence
    • Our ethical obligation to cultural competence and sensitivity
    • Factors that influence EoL decisions
    • 1990 Federal Patient Self-Determination Act
    • SLP’s role in facilitating cross-cultural conversation at the end of life
  1. Documentation
    • Justifying the SLP’s role
    • Evaluation Writing for EoL
    • Goal writing for EoL

Content Disclosures

The content of this online CE course does not focus exclusively on any specific proprietary product or service. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.

Course Format

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Reviews

Comments From Prior Course Participants

"Swallowing/Dysphagia Documentation was beneficial. Great material provided. Presenters were clear and concise, very knowledgeable." C.L. (Dec. 2024)

"Covered all topics I need to know, such as communication, dysphagia, AAC, cognitive issues." M.Y. (Nov. 2024)

"Goal writing was very helpful. Great overview on cognition. Clear definitions of what palliative care means/encompasses. This can be easily shared with staff, patients, and families." K.K. (Nov. 2024)

"Palliative care in conjunction with rehabilitation services was a beneficial topic. Clear and excellent personal examples." D.B. (Oct. 2024)

"Aside from a fascinating topic, I liked how the course was divided into topic sections that had defined parameters, and a clear time commitment for each. This was extremely helpful and made it easier for me to manage my time." L.S. (Oct. 2024)

"I liked the examples." A.S. (Oct. 2024)

"Goal writing was helpful. I liked the AAC examples." H.S. (Sep. 2024)

"I learned interesting things about the early decision-making and the cultural competence in EoL." C.J. (Sep. 2024)

"Dysphagia, especially discussion of reducing aspiration risk by providing oral care BEFORE meals was beneficial. In addition, goal setting in the context of palliative care. I liked the information provided." V.D. (Sep. 2024)

"Rewriting goals for ELOC will be different than what we are normally used to doing. I enjoyed the more in-depth explanation of PC and how I can be an effective SLP with this population." A.G. (Aug. 2024)

"Specified considerations for skilled assessment and intervention for palliative care patients. Both presenters were enthusiastic and professional regarding topics; they were consistent and effective in delineating material of which I only have limited knowledge and experience." R.A. (Jul. 2024)

"Oral care practice patterns were helpful to discuss. Concise PPT." L.K. (Jun. 2024)

"Dysphagia treatment section, communication and cognitive section, also, info about patient autonomy and cultural differences were beneficial. Presenters did a great job, well organized, informative, sharing cases from personal practice." M.H. (Jun. 2024)

"The definition of palliative care and barriers to palliative care referrals were helpful. Many research articles linked to support data presented in the course." B.S. (Jun. 2024)

"Communication and ideas were helpful, and I liked how the course was broken down into different sections." J.D. (Jun. 2024)

"The discussion on dysphagia at end of life was beneficial. I really enjoyed the whole course. I thought it was well organized and presented." A.J. (Jun. 2024)

"Cultural considerations was a beneficial topic. I liked the comprehensive content." D.S. (May. 2024)

"Goal writing for end-of-life/palliative care was helpful. Very practical, clear and concise course." S.D. (Apr. 2024)

"Discussing palliative vs hospice was beneficial." S.D. (Mar. 2024)

"Discussing Medicare only funding services for documented improvement was beneficial. The course was very thorough." S.A. (Feb. 2024)

"General refresher on all aspects was helpful to frame mindset when supporting palliative and EOL patients. The speakers did a great job at pacing and content." M.P. (Feb. 2024)

"AAC and goal writing was beneficial. Very well segmented." A.T. (Feb. 2024)

"The discussion on AAC was helpful." C.C. (Jan. 2024)

"Discussing end-of-life vs palliative care was beneficial. I liked the information about palliative care." K.S. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the real-life examples." H.B. (Dec. 2023)

"The documentation section was helpful." H.B. (Dec. 2023)

"The topic on swallowing was beneficial." K.P. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the discussion of palliative care for patients of various cultural backgrounds. Ideas were presented in a clear and concise manner, yet sufficiently detailed." C.V. (Aug. 2023)

"AAC considerations, reminders for documentation, AAC review, and the dysphagia topics were all beneficial." B.W. (May 2023) 

"Discussion of PEG feeds and dementia was beneficial. I liked the AAC." C.C. (May 2023)

"Easy to understand course with good visuals." M.M. (Feb. 2023)

"Course covers ethics in a range of areas. I liked the research on feeding tube efficacy." S.W. (Dec. 2022)

"Excellent speakers! Learning informed refusal vs non-compliance...and cultural differences was beneficial." K.F. (Dec. 2022)

"Assessment and treatment - Complete topic coverage." E.P. (Dec. 2022)

"I liked the different topics within palliative care that correlate to the patient's needs as a whole." M.S. (Dec. 2022)

"Discussion of end of life care decisions and decision making was beneficial." D.R. (Dec. 2022)

"Early decision making. I liked the various areas covered in depth." E.D. (Dec. 2022)

"Data on g-tubes was beneficial. I liked the thoroughness of course content." B.C. (Dec. 2022)

"Referrals, goals, not signing off on patients as quickly. I liked the speakers presentation of information and relative examples." R.K. (Dec. 2022)

"Tips for coordinating with the palliative care team and advocating for palliative care with physicians across the continuum of care." L.S. (Nov. 2022)

"Instructors provided real-world scenarios and examples, as well as real-world solutions for common obstacles within the provision of palliative care at end of life." L.S. (Nov. 2022)

"The speakers were engaging." L.W. (Nov. 2022)

"As an acute care SLP, I enjoyed the dysphagia management section and how it relates to dementia/end of life. I appreciated that the sections were broken into manageable chunks. I was able to complete the course a section at a time without having to stop in the middle." V.T. (Nov. 2022)

"I really enjoyed the way the speakers presented the materials in sections. I also really appreciated their enthusiasm and passion for this topic. It made the course really enjoyable." S.O. (Nov. 2022)

"Learning about our role as SLPs with our patients who are on Palliative Care was beneficial to my daily practice. Excellent presentation filled with information about how we can be a part of the palliative care team and how we can bring our areas of expertise to assist the quality of life of our patients who are at the end of their lives." I.H. (Nov. 2022)

"The entire discussion was well constructed and discussed. This will guide me from ways to participate in palliative care to appropriate documentation. Informative and easy to listen, follow information, and take notes." H.S. (Oct. 2022)

"The dysphagia management and AAC use was good information. The course will be an easy reference in the future." J.L. (Oct. 2022)

"I was impressed with the information on the need for oral care to reduce the risk of aspiration issues." M.T. (Sept. 2022)

"It was all very beneficial, but the information on Communication & Documentation was the most applicable to my daily practice." J.D. (Sept. 2022)

"I would recommend this course." C.P. (Aug. 2022)

"I liked the functional approach." J.A. (Jun. 2022)

"It was very well organized and informative." K.P. (Jun. 2022)

"Learning the difference between Palliative Care and Hospice. I also found the information on what Palliative Care offers, goal writing, and cultural sensitivity all very useful. Great depth of the information." D.T. (May 2022)

"I liked all of it! I think the content and overall presentation was great! Liked the use of AAC to meet functional communication needs and help patient and family achieve their goals." K.R. (May 2022)

"Dysphagia management and risks associated with PEG placements in pts with Dementia was helpful. I liked that it was self-pacing." A.R. (Apr. 2022)

"I liked the examples of goals to help brainstorm with patient specific areas to target, as well as verbiage to use when writing goals. Also, examples of documentation and examples of treatment and justification." A.P. (Mar. 2022)

"I loved the presenters, they held my attention the whole time. Examples of documentation and need for early palliative referrals was beneficial." C.R. (Mar. 2022)

"Learning role of SLP across different domains. I liked that the videos are categorized with options to slow or speed up and that handouts are provided." W.S. (Mar. 2022)

"I liked the communication management for end of life. And the segmenting of topics." J.B. (Mar. 2022)

"The instructors approach to the presentation was organized, easy to follow and interesting. Their personal experiences with palliative care and topic knowledge added to this valuable information received." V.J. (Feb. 2022)

"I liked the information regarding various cultures, and the wide variety of topics." K.R. (Feb. 2022)

"Best practices for palliative care patients with dysphagia. I liked the thoroughness of the material, and relatable presentation." F.B. (Feb. 2022)

"I really loved the education presented in this course, specifically on this topic. There really are little to no quality educational resources on this topic! Thank you!" E.O. (Jan. 2022)

"Practical info in all areas of SLP scope at EOL - dysphagia management, hunger at end of life, developing team to support, documentation details." S.M. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the suggestions on how to advocate for early palliative care services. Multitude of topics covered all pertaining to palliative care." A.S. (Jan. 2022)

"Clear presentation. Liked discussion of AAC and cultural differences." K.G. (Jan. 2022)

Course Objectives

At course conclusion, participants will be able to:
  1. Contrast Palliative Care vs. Hospice.
  2. Describe dysphagia management at End of Life and how it differs from SLP management of dysphagia in other populations.
  3. Demonstrate how to facilitate conversation between the End of Life patient with communication disorders and care providers/partners.
  4. Identify communication strategies for patients with dementia and other cognitive impairments at End of Life.
  5. Demonstrate a plan to enhance early advocacy about End of Life.
  6. Demonstrate cultural competence when approaching patients of diverse backgrounds within the End of Life framework.

 

Presenter & Disclosures

Irene Gofman, MS, CCC-SLP

Irene Gofman, MS, CCC-SLP, is the lead Speech-Language Pathologist in the sub-acute rehabilitation wing of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston, Massachusetts. She serves on Palliative Care and Ethics Committees as the rehab representative. As a multi-lingual Speech-Language Pathologist, her personal interests include end of life care from a cross-cultural perspective, the ethics surrounding tough decision making within the world of SLP, and the geriatric population.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Irene Gofman is a presenter of online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Nonfinancial — Irene Gofman has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Amanda Warren, MS, CCC-SLP

Amanda Warren, MS, CCC-SLP, is a medical Speech-Language Pathologist practicing in the city of Boston, MA. She has extensive experience in outpatient, acute care, rehabilitative care, skilled nursing, and home care environments. Amanda teaches at the undergraduate and graduate level in Speech-Language Pathology. She has a special interest in palliative dysphagia management, augmentative communication at the end of life, and patient-family advocacy and education.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Amanda Warren is presenter online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Nonfinancial — Amanda Warren has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

Intended Audience/Accreditation
asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.45 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

  • Current ASHA Member
  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder
  • Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology
  • Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC
  • Currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program in SLP or audiology

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.

Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:

  • California: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. Provider #PDP4. Online CEU limits may apply; please contact SLPAHADB for current online CEU acceptance policies.
  • Iowa: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners. Provider #169.
  • Kansas: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Provider #LTS-S0005.

Frequently Asked Questions

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You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

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ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

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Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

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Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

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We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

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Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

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Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

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Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

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