Tips for Helping Those with Swallowing Disorders
Jennifer Baquet, MA, CCC-SLP, is a senior speech-language pathologist who serves residents at Amsterdam Nursing Home in New York City shares creative approaches to helping those with swallowing disorders with meals and stay hydrated with tasty recipes, like popsicles, soups and other drinks, during the hot summer months.
For the 18 million Americans with dysphagia, a swallowing disorder, every meal and sip of water can feel like drowning. The main risk is aspiration, or inhaling food/liquid into the airway and lungs, which can cause pneumonia. These individuals must rely on thickened liquids, but options are limited and often unappealing. As a result, more than 200,000 short-term hospital stay patients with dysphagia are discharged with a primary diagnosis of dehydration annually.
More information available at www.Thick-It.com.