There are few things more ordinary than swallowing. It is automatic. Invisible. Easy to forget until suddenly it is not.
For Rachel Mack, a speech language pathologist at Sunnyside, swallowing is where science, trust and daily life collide. It is also the focus of a national milestone that quietly puts her at the leading edge of her field.
Earlier this year, Mack became one of the first clinicians in the entire country and one of the first in Virginia to earn certification as an ACP Dysphagia Certified Clinician. The distinction places her among a small group of specialists trained at the highest level of evidence based dysphagia care. But for Mack, the certification was never about being first. It was about being better.
“My biggest motivation was my patients,” she said. “I want to make sure I am providing the highest quality care possible and working alongside my team in the best way I can.”
Swallowing may seem simple, but it is one of the most complex processes in the human body. It requires precise coordination between muscles, nerves and reflexes. When something goes wrong, the consequences can be serious. Aspiration. Pneumonia. Fear around eating. Withdrawal from social meals. Loss of confidence.
Mack has spent her career navigating those moments with patients and families, often at times when vulnerability is high. The ACP certification expanded her understanding of how swallowing disorders show up across different diagnoses and populations. It also sharpened her ability to tailor care to the person sitting in front of her, not just the condition on a chart.
She is intentional about how she talks to patients and loved ones. She avoids clinical overload. She names risks honestly. She leaves space for questions.
“I might be the expert in swallowing,” she said, “but the patient and their family are the experts on themselves. Those conversations have to be collaborative.”
That philosophy shows up most clearly at mealtimes. Eating is rarely just about nutrition. It is about routine, pleasure and connection. For many older adults, difficulty swallowing can turn something joyful into something stressful or isolating. Mack sees restoring confidence and dignity as part of the treatment itself.
The certification has also changed how she works behind the scenes. It has strengthened collaboration with nurses, dietitians and fellow therapists, allowing for more nuanced conversations about safety, preference and quality of life. Less about rigid rules. More about informed choices.
Mack believes advanced certifications like ACP Dysphagia represent something bigger for the profession of speech language pathology, particularly in senior living and rehabilitation settings where the field is often misunderstood.
“These kinds of certifications help show what our profession really does,” she said. “They highlight how critical this work is outside of schools.”
At Sunnyside, Mack’s achievement reflects an organizational commitment to evidence based care and continued learning. It also reflects something harder to measure. A culture that values expertise. Care without shortcuts.
In the end, the certification is not about being first. It is about what comes next. More informed conversations. More confident patients. More meals shared without fear. For Mack, that is where the real work happens. Quietly. Daily. And, always with the person at the center.
