Rosie Black - Supporting Dysphagia in Adults with Learning Disabilities

There is often surprise when someone asks me about my job and I tell them that a large proportion of my time is spent supporting people with eating and drinking difficulties.

In all honesty when I first decided to be a speech and language therapist it surprised me too, however, working in this area has taught me so much and is something I really enjoy.

Working as a speech and language therapist is a varied profession and this is especially true in my job.

I have worked with people aged 17-103 so far (hopefully I will meet a 104-year-old patient one day!) with a wide a variety of abilities, disabilities, syndromes and diagnoses, which is what keeps the job interesting and really puts your skills to the test. There is no one size fits all solution to dysphagia and that challenge to find ways to help such a varied client group is both exciting and terrifying in equal measure.

Working with dysphagia has a scientific basis which really allows me to apply solid theory and new research to my practice.

I really enjoy training patients, their families and their carers so they have a working understanding of the advice I give them.

I also get to walk around with a stethoscope which makes me feel very important and occasionally my clients ask if I’m a doctor. Not one to disappoint my clients, I explain that I am ‘sort of’ a doctor.

But what really gives me job satisfaction is enabling patients to enjoy their food and drink.

Mealtimes are so important for our physical health and also socially to help maintain positive mental health.

On a recent visit to a care home, the first thing the staff members asked me was would I like a cup of tea? It is so deeply engrained in our culture and nature to share food and drink that this is often our primary concern, never mind the fact I had to politely decline the drink as due to Covid-19 I was in full PPE.

The staff member and I had a good laugh behind our face masks when we realised neither of us could enjoy a cuppa together.

This is why supporting my clients to eat together with their family or peers in a safe and enjoyable way is so important.

It allows them to be part of ‘normal’ life when they are so often excluded from activities we take for granted.