304 – Cultural Sensitivity in Dysphagia: Nourishing Patients Beyond Nutrition

So you have a patient with dysphagia…what do you immediately start considering?

Diagnosis…comorbidities…past medical history…past surgical history…current diet recs…

☝️Those are the typical go-to “textbook” checklist items, but there are other incredibly important considerations that will affect how you evaluate and treat your patient. These considerations impact your clinical recommendations and what matters most to your patients - and they deserve to be honored.

I’m talking about cultural and religious considerations in dysphagia - which is exactly what Michelle Weber Dehgan MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S & Kiana Gardner MA, CCC-SLP dive into this on this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast!

Together, we discuss the importance of cultural sensitivity in managing dysphagia. Michelle and Kiana highlight the significance of considering patients' cultural preferences, dietary restrictions, and access to food during evaluations and treatment recommendations. They share the results of a survey conducted among SLPs that highlight the challenges in accommodating nutritional preferences and religious and cultural beliefs.

Tune in, take notes, and talk about what you learn with colleagues!

Get the show notes at https://syppodcast.com/304

The importance of considering cultural preferences (00:04:34)

Considering access to food and alternative options (00:06:50)

Considering allergies and dietary restrictions (00:07:52)

The Cultural Acceptance of a Simple Food (00:08:55)

Impact of Hospital Menus on Patient Preferences (00:10:25)

Survey Results on Speech Pathologists' Practices (00:12:20)

Fasting during Ramadan and cultural rituals (00:17:56)

Food preferences and cultural barriers (00:19:11)

Patient-centered approach and cultural humility (00:22:06)

Assumptions and Perspective (00:28:59)

The therapy scheduling challenge (00:36:56)

Catering to different cultural groups and partnering with food nutrition corporations. (00:46:41)

The psychological impact of not being able to honor cultural or religious practices in the hospital. (00:47:44)