Impact of voice and swallowing problems in the elderly

Abstract

Voice and swallowing problems are common in the elderly, but they are not realizing potential treatment benefits.

Nonimaging Clinical Assessment of Impaired Swallowing in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Taiwan

“…This rate was similar to the 11.4% identified in another study that asked participants to self-evaluate their swallowing difficulties in mailed questionnaires (Holland et al, 2011) and less than the 13.7% reported in Turley and Cohen's 7-point Likert scale study of dysphagia severity in retired older adults (Turley & Cohen, 2009). Holland et al's (2011) self-reported impaired swallowing rate of 11.4% is less than the 19.2% self-reported rate in our study.…”

“…A survey study by Holland et al (2011) of healthy community-dwelling older adults found that 11.4% showed symptoms of swallowing difficulties. Turley and Cohen (2009) studied 248 retired older adults and found that 13.7% had impaired swallowing; 11Y22% of stroke patients catch pneumonia during their acute or rehabilitative phases (Indredavik, Rohweder, Naalsund, & Lydersen, 2008); 21Y42% of stroke patients in the acute stage show impaired swallowing, with 2Y25% diagnosed with asymptomatic aspiration pneumonia (Ramsey, Smithard, & Kalra, 2005); and 50% of acute stroke patients experience dysphagia during the immediate post-stroke period (Martino et al, 2005;Paciaroni et al, 2004). Wang, Chen, Lien, and Hwang (2001) diagnosed 12.8% of elderly people with impaired swallowing using a videofluoroscopic test (VFS) administered during regular health checkups.…”

Diagnosis and Management of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia and Its Nutritional and Respiratory Complications in the Elderly

“…We found prolonged intervals to LVC and UESO were the key abnormalities of swallow response, doubling that of healthy subjects and leading to unsafe deglutition and aspiration in neurological older patients (Figure 2) [10, 11]. This delayed swallow response in the elderly can be attributed to an impairment of sensations [12, 13], a decrease in the number of neurons in the brain, and a delay in the synapse conduction in the afferent inputs to the central nervous system (SNC) caused by aging [9] and by other risk factors for dysphagia like neurodegenerative diseases or stroke [1, 14]. Other conditions such as delirium, confusion and dementia, and the effects of sedative, neuroleptic, or antidepressant drugs, can also contribute to impaired swallow response in frail older patients [14].…”

Dysphonia in Nursing Home and Assisted Living Residents: Prevalence and Association With Frailty

“…10,11 This variability is likely due to differences in the geriatric subpopulation assessed, definitions of dysphonia, and methodologies used to identify dysphonia. Understanding the prevalence of dysphonia in large segments of the geriatric population is important to improve identification and interventions in this population.…”

“…Previous studies reporting geriatric incidence of dysphonia have surveyed ambulatory outpatients and senior community residents as a proxy for all geriatric individuals, which excludes an important subset of individuals, residents in assisted living and nursing facilities. 10,11 We hypothesized that frailty is positively correlated with dysphonia in geriatric populations. Additional aims of our study were to identify the prevalence of dysphonia in two previously unstudied groups, assisted living residents and nursing home residents and to evaluate the utility of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) to otolaryngology research protocols.…”