References
Dysphagia: a guide for nurses in general practice
Abstract
Dysphagia is common in older adults. Linda Nazarko gives an overview of how practice nurses can support individuals living with dysphagia
The practice nurse may encounter people who present with a variety of medical problems that are ultimately caused by swallowing difficulties. These difficulties may be acute or longstanding, severe or mild. The number of adults living with swallowing difficulties is set to rise in line with population ageing and the increasing levels of frailty and comorbidities that occur in older adults. This article aims to provide a guide to why dysphagia develops, how dysphagia is diagnosed and how the practice nurse can support individuals who are living with dysphagia.
The UK population is ageing and the number of people aged 85 years and over is rising rapidly (Office for National Statistics [ONS], 2013; ONS, 2015). Dysphagia becomes more common in older age and is associated with neurological problems and frailty (Turley and Cohen, 2009). Older people may consider that swallowing difficulties are part of ageing and may not visit the GP practice until they develop complications such as weight loss or a chest infection. The practice nurse should be alert to the clinical features of dysphagia and should check if the older person is experiencing swallowing difficulties when an older person seeks treatment (Smithard, 2015). Certain older people have greater risks of dysphagia than others (Table 1).
Dysphagia literally means difficulty eating or swallowing. Intact motor and nervous systems are essential to enable normal swallowing (Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists [RCSLT], 2014). There are four phases in a normal swallow (Table 2).
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