Integration and Promotion of a Care Model for Chewing and Swallowing Reconstruction Teams

Abstract

Eating with the mouth is one of the basic joys of life. However, some 450,000 people currently live with nasogastric tubes in Taiwan. The causes of dysphagia disorders are complicated. Caring effectively for these cases requires interdisciplinary medical cooperation. Taiwan is expected to become a super-aged society in 2025. In Taiwan, people over 65 years old, residents of long-term care institutions, and stroke cases experience high rates of dysphagia. Every case of dysphagia has a potential risk of aspiration pneumonia, with pneumonia ranking as the third leading cause of death in people over 65 years old. Therefore, this issue demands the attention and assistance of medical care personnel. The integrated care model used at Kaohsiung Siaogang Hospital to promote the reconstruction of dysphagia functions is introduced in this article to help give medical teams interested in assisting cases a deeper understanding of this model. Integrating the resources and manpower of multiple disciplines helps cases improve dysphagia functions and reduces the need for indwelling nasogastric tubes and the incidence of aspiration pneumonia. Let us protect the everyday happiness of eating and improve quality of life.