#41 How to find a voice for Advance Care Planning when you can’t talk, with Speech and Language Therapist Sophie Whitehead

How to find a voice for Advance Care Planning is dedicated to the memory of Keith, an incredible gentleman I met many years ago and who taught me about the power and importance of voice in truly seeing a person.

In this episode I talk with Sophie Whitehead, a speech therapist specialising in palliative care. We talk about the crucial role Speech Therapists have on patient wellbeing, dignity and quality of life as well as supporting Advance Care Planning.

This episode links to previous podcasts, check out episode 34 in which Caroline England discusses voice recording for people with MND and episode 1 with the late Clair Fisher who has influenced Sophie’s work.

Key messages from guest

• Sophie describes how rare the specialist Speech Therapist role in palliative care is.

• Swallowing and communication are specific areas that can be supported by Speech Therapy.

• We know that communication difficulties towards the end of life can have massive implications on quality of life, participation in services, relationships, Advance Care Planning  so it’s a really important thing that we address this as part of end of life care.

• Sophie shares the impact like high profile people like Rob Burrow  have had on public awareness around communication and Motor Neuron Disease. 

• I share the impact of communication on a patient called Keith who taught me so much so many years ago.

• Glasses, hearing aids and good oral care are basics that can improve communication.

• Sophie shares skills for assessing capacity and the core role Speech and Language can support in capacity assessments. 

• Sophie talks about the impact of Clair Fisher  and the eloquent, pragmatic and humbling way Clair approached the end of her  life and how this has influenced her work.

Resources

• Watch Keith's MND DVD and hear how regaining his voice impacted Keith.

• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist Overview on the role of Speech and Language Therapists at the End of Life: End of life care overview | RCSLT

• Let's Talk About Capacity blog post: Let’s talk about capacity… - Improving Communication, Improving Lives (talkingmats.com)

• Free Health Care related communication boards: Widgit Health - Communication boards and easy read sheets for professionals (widgit-health.com)

• Speech and Communication in MND – what can help: Speech and communication | MND Association

• Rehabilitative Palliative Care original model: Rehabilitative palliative care | Hospice UK

• Updated Holistic model of Rehabilitative Palliative Care: St Christopher's | Introducing a model of holistic rehabilitative palliative care - St Christopher's (stchristophers.org.uk)

• Access Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Guidance on the SLT role in End of Life Care

• Talking mats: thinking ahead resource: Thinking Ahead: supporting people to plan for the future - Improving Communication, Improving Lives (talkingmats.com)

• Details for the Palliative Care Clinical Excellence Network:

  -to join the mailing list email:  palliativecarecen@gmail.com or to follow on twitter @palcarecen

  Podcasts that link to this episode

  Featherbed Tales and the power of voice with Caroline England 

  How to ensure your plans are heard with Clair Fisher

Bio

Sophie Whitehead is a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) working with adults in both a hospice & a hospital and she is the chair of the Palliative Care Clinical Excellence Network for SLTs. She is particularly interested in raising the profile of the role of SLTs within Specialist Palliative Care teams, particularly around supporting those with communication difficulties

Find out more about my Bespoke Consultancy

• Service analysis for teams seeking to improve EoLC or prepare for CQC

• End of Life Care Education

• Lasting Power of Attorney Consultancy

• Talks and presentations

If you’d like to find out more about my work contact me.

What one thing will you do?

It would be great to share what resonated with you from this episode, what is the one thing you will do differently? Head to Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn to continue these important conversations.

Thanks to all my guests for working with me to share their knowledge, experience and stories about Advance Care Planning. I hope you enjoyed listening and have insights to take away; I love hearing your reflections on the series and look forward to reviews on Spotify where you can also subscribe to the series.

Clare

Important Conversations about Important Conversations.