Guest: Caitlin Saxtein MS, CCC-SLP, BCSS, CBIS: For this episode of the Understanding Dysphagia Podcast, we are joined by Caitlin Saxtein to talk about end-of-life care and palliative care. Caitlin Saxtein MS, CCC-SLP, BCSS, CBIS is a medical speech-language pathologist currently working in the acute care setting and has experience in subacute, rehabilitation, outpatient, and home health. She also has an extensive background with East End Hospice, having volunteered with them for nearly 15 years. In our conversation, we talk with Caitlin about how she became passionate about end-of-life care during her many years of volunteering and what she has learned working in the field of palliative care. Palliative care is sometimes assumed to mean end-of-life care, even among some health workers, but this is not necessarily the case. Caitlin unpacks the term and explains how palliative care is distinct from hospice care, describing palliative care as specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. We discuss alternate means of nourishment and why feeding a loved one who is ill is so significant for a family. Later, we discuss advance directives, outlining what they are and how they impact your medical choices when you can no longer make them yourself. We wrap by hearing from Caitlin about how she practices self-care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. For all this and much more, join us today for a wonderful conversation about Caitlin's experiences with palliative care!