Dr. Shune is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Communication Disorders and Sciences Program at the University of Oregon. Her research and clinical interests include the effects of healthy and pathologic aging on swallowing and the mealtime process. She is particularly interested in better understanding the shared mealtime and food-related activities as opportunities to therapeutically target improved quality of life for older adults, healthy and otherwise, and their caregivers. Her work has been recognized by the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders, the Dysphagia Research Society, and the European Society for Swallowing Disorders, and funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Oregon Tax Checkoff for Alzheimer's Research Fund, and the University of Oregon. She directs the Optimizing Eating and Swallowing for the Elderly Lab (https://eatinglab.uoregon.edu).

Prior to returning to school for her PhD and throughout her doctoral program, she worked as an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist in various medical settings (inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, acute care), with a particular focus on dysphagia and stroke rehabilitation. In addition to her research, she currently teaches in the area of medical speech-language pathology and organizes a community-based swallowing disorders support group.

PhD (2014) – The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA – Major: Speech and Hearing Science; Additional certification and training: Graduate Certificate in College Teaching; Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship in Aging

MA (2007) – The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH – Major: Speech and Hearing Science

BA (2005) – The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI – Majors: Linguistics; Psychology; Minor: Applied Statistics

Selected Honors and Awards

8/2022 Innovative Research on Aging Silver Award, Mather Institute

3/2022 National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders' Michael Donovan Innovation Award, Dysphagia Research Society Annual Meeting

10/2021-10/2022 Asia-Pacific Women in Leadership Mentoring Program Participant, Sponsor: Association of Pacific Rim Universities

10/2021 Award for Outstanding Teaching, Oregon Speech-Language & Hearing Association

10/2020 Best First Abstract, European Society for Swallowing Disorders

6/2020 Sumiko Okada Fellowship, Dysphagia Research Society

6/2020 Second Place – Oral Presentation, Dysphagia Research Society Annual Meeting

5/2019 Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching, University of Oregon

4/2018 Council for Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) Leadership Academy Participant (competitive selection)

3/2018 Second Place – Poster Presentation, Dysphagia Research Society Annual Meeting

4/2017 Excellence in Teaching – Early Career Award, College of Education, University of Oregon

3/2017 National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders Award, Dysphagia Research Society Annual Meeting

7/2015 Butler-Williams Scholars Program Participant (competitive selection), Sponsor: National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Selected Refereed Journal Articles (chronological order) (* indicates student or clinician mentee co-author of S. Shune during project)

Badesha, M., Thayanantha, A., Shune, S., & Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. (2023). Caregiver burden interventions in speech-language pathology: A systematic review. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12856

*Nagshabandi, B., *Zinnershine, L., & Shune, S. (2023). An ecological model of factors contributing to adult’s adherence to dietary recommendations in dysphagia management. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 32(1), 341-357. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-21-00351

*Lin, T. & Shune, S. (2023). The mind-body-breath link during oral intake in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A grounded theory analysis. Dysphagia, 38, 367-378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-022-10473-x

*Bayne, D. & Shune, S. (2022). A biopsychosocial model of dysphagia management in persons with dementia, an asset-based approach to patient-centered care. Geriatrics, 7(5), 112.  https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics7050112

*Ambrocio, K. & Shune, S. (2022). Backward design in dysphagia management: Moving toward more culturally responsive care. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups (SIG 13), 7(6), 1998-2011. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_PERSP-22-00067

Shune, S., Linville, D., & Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. (2022). Integrating caregivers into dysphagia management: A biopsychosocial framework. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups (SIG 13), 7(3), 795-806.https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_PERSP-21-00314

Namasivayam-MacDonald, A., *Ayub, A., Najeeb, H., & Shune, S. (2022). Understanding the independent predictors of dysphagia-related quality of life in stroke survivors. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 65, 1697-1723. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00502

Shune, S. & Barewal, R. (2022). Redefining the Value of Snacks for Nursing Home Residents: Bridging Psychosocial and Nutritional Needs. Geriatric Nursing, 44, 39-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.12.022

*Bayne, D., Barewal, R., & Shune, S. (2022). Sensory-enhanced, fortified snacks for improved nutritional intake among nursing home residents. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, 41(1), 92-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/21551197. 2022.2025971

 Rangira, D., Najeeb, H., Shune, S., & Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. (2022). Understanding burden in caregivers of adults with dysphagia: A systematic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(1), 486-501. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-21-00249

*Burdick, R., *Lin, T., & Shune, S. (2021). The impact of visual modeling on nutritional intake among nursing home residents. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(5), 2202-2213. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-21-00097

*Davis, C., Namasivayam-MacDonald, A., & Shune, S. (2021). Contributors to post-stroke dysphagia-related caregiver burden. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(3), 1061-1073. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00250

Barewal, R., Shune, S., Ball, J., & Kosty, D. (2021). A comparison of behavior of transitional-state foods under varying oral conditions. Dysphagia, 36, 316-324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-020-10135-w

Shune, S., Resnick, B., Zarit, S., & Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. (2020). Creation and initial validation of the Caregiver Analysis of Reported Experiences of Swallowing Disorders (CARES). American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(4), 2131-2144. https://doi.org/10.1044/202_AJSLP-20-00148

Shune, S. & Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. (2020). Caregiver burden in dysphagia: Moving beyond the physiological impairment. Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, 5(5), 1282-1289. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_PERSP-20-00067

*Lin, T. & Shune, S. (2020). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dysphagia: A synergistic review. Geriatrics, 5, 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics5030045

*Nam, S. & Shune, S. (2020). Behavioral mimicry as a strategy to increase drinking behaviors in older adults. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(3), 1640-1649. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-19-00184

Shune, S. (2020). An altered eating experience: Attitudes toward feeding assistance among younger and older adults. Rehabilitation Nursing Journal, 45(2), 97-105. https://doi.org/10.1097/rnj.0000000000000147 

Shune, S. & Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. (2020). Swallowing impairments increase emotional burden in spousal caregivers of older adults. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 39(2), 172-180. https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464818821787

Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. & Shune, S. (2020). The influence of swallowing impairments as an independent risk factor for burden among caregivers of aging parents: A cross-sectional study. Geriatric Nursing, 41(2), 81-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.06.008

Shune, S. & Linville, D. (2019). Understanding the dining experience of individuals with dysphagia living in care facilities: A grounded theory analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 92, 144-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.01.017

Namasivayam-MacDonald, A. & Shune, S. (2018). The burden of dysphagia on family caregivers of the elderly: A systematic review. Geriatrics, 3, 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3020030

Shune, S. & *Foster, K. (2017). Goal-directed drinking behaviors can be modified through behavioral mimicry.  Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60(6), 1535-1544. https://doi.org/10.1044/2016_JSLHR-S-16-0328

Shune, S. & Moon, J. B. (2016). The effects of age and non-oropharyngeal proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensation on the magnitude of anticipatory mouth opening during eating. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 43(9), 662-669. https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.12419

Shune, S., Moon, J. B., & Goodman, S. S. (2016). The effects of age and preoral sensorimotor cues on anticipatory mouth movement during swallowing. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 59, 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_JSLHR-S-15-0138

Research Summary

Dr. Shune’s research program is aimed at mitigating the deleterious effects of both healthy and pathologic aging on the eating process. Under- and malnutrition, weight loss, dehydration, and declines in the rates of social interaction and social network size are prevalent and debilitating concerns for older adults. The shared mealtime provides a particularly potent opportunity to address the complex relationships between social interaction and health-relevant biopsychosocial symptoms and outcomes. Dr. Shune is focused on integrating the physiologic components of swallowing with a more comprehensive view of the mealtime process (e.g., cognition, communication, socialization/social relationships). Ultimately, she is interested in translating this research into clinical practices that can improve both safety and quality of life for patients and caregivers across the lifespan.