Three articles have been grouped, all centering around quality of life: at end of life, following a stroke, and among individuals with voice disorders. In “Facilitating End-of-Life Interaction Between Patients With Severe Communication Impairment and Their Families,” the authors acknowledge the work that has been done previously and recently in outlining the role of the speech-language pathologist in dysphagia and communication at end of life. One case study is presented, which describes an end-of-life scenario following a stroke. Post–case study review, the authors include reflections, counseling points for clinicians related to the case study, and counseling points in the form of a handout that could be used as a resource for clinicians. Given that existing research on the impacts of stroke is primarily conducted within a 5- year period following the stroke, the authors of “Quality of Life Following Stroke: A Qualitative Study Across 30 Years” seek to understand the long-term effects. They draw data from 28 years of journals that were kept by the participant and conduct semistructured family interviews. The authors draw four themes from the data—family support, faith, personality, and journaling—as having influence over the participant’s long-term experience poststroke. Within the discussion, the authors examine the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Factors and the participant’s experience through the lens of the resilience theory. Among aging individuals, voice disorders (including presbyphonia) are commonly reported—however, treated less proportionately. “Perceived Voice Disorders in Older Adults and Impact on Social Interactions” uses a cross-sectional investigation approach by examining the findings of three assessments on 332 community dwelling individuals aged 60 and older. The authors conclude that voice disorders increase with age and, conversely, social interactions requiring communication decrease among individuals with voice disorders. As a result, health-care professionals are encouraged to educate older individuals on how and why to seek management of a voice disorder by a speechlanguage pathologist or qualified medical professional.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• identify strategies that they could adopt to promote end-of-life interaction between patients who have severe communication impairment and their families
• apply guidance from the resilience theory to the long-term impacts of stroke rehabilitation
• discuss the impact of a voice disorder on the social interactions in older individuals

Assessment Type
Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.

Articles in This Course

1. Facilitating End-of-Life Interaction Between Patients With Severe Communication Impairment and Their Families by Adithya Chandregowda, Julie A. G. Stierwalt, and Heather M. Clark, published in SIG 15, Volume 6, Issue 3, June 25, 2021
2. Quality of Life Following Stroke: A Qualitative Study Across 30 Years by Steffany M. Chleboun, Kathryn Brady, and Jennie Zelenak, published in SIG 15, Volume 6, Issue 1, February 23, 2021
3. Perceived Voice Disorders in Older Adults and Impact on Social Interactions by Connie K. Porcaro, Clare Singer, Boris Djokic, Ali A. Danesh, Ruth Tappen, and Gabriella Engstrom, published in SIG 15, Volume 6, Issue 1, February 23, 2021