Understanding Oropharyngeal Dysphagia

Abstract

Providing services in the home to a patient with oropharyngeal dysphagia remains a clinical challenge. All health care providers involved in the care of patients with dysphagia need to understand the complexities of swallow physiology, its impact on the patient's overall well-being, and the experience the patient has recently undergone. Namely, it is important to know if the patient is returning home after an acute care stay, if the patient is returning home after a stay at a rehabilitation center, or if simply the patient has become increasingly decompensated while at home. This will allow the clinician working in the home to understand the work-up and possible treatments the patient has thus far undergone, and possibly better understand the overall etiology. Furthermore, it is important to understand that while returning home may be one of the most exciting moments for the patient and his/her family, it may also be the most stressful, as the patient is probably returning home with a different set of needs. This article provides an in-depth approach and discussion of the subject of swallow physiology, diagnosis, and treatment, and provides a resource for all members of the patient care team. It concentrates on the experience of older adults diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia who are returning home.