Dysphagia among nursing home residents.
As part of a larger study that investigated the social, cultural, clinical, and environmental factors that influenced nutritional intake in two proprietary nursing homes, 82 of 100 residents who were not eating well received a bedside dysphagia screening evaluation by a speech pathologist. This article reports on the dysphagia evaluation results and the consequences of swallowing disorders for nursing home residents. Forty-five of the 82 residents (55%) had some degree of dysphagia, ranging from mild to profound, but only 10 of these 45 residents (22%) had been referred for a dysphagia evaluation. Unrecognized and unmanaged dysphagia may lead to dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and asphyxiation. Assessment and management of dysphagia also are discussed.
Kayser-Jones
J
J
Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Pengilly
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011187:Posture; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires