Essays on Swallowing

Post-stroke dysphagia, a potentially fatal complication, affects an estimated 23-50% of all stroke survivors. It is associated with a seven fold increase in the risk for aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia increases the catabolic demands of the body and in the settings of impaired swallowing leads to a vicious cycle of malnutrition, dehydration, and further infections (Shaker & Geenen, 2011). Dysphagia affects a significant number of patients with hemispheric stroke which is the main subtype of ischemic stroke in the general population (Kumar et al., 2011). The functions of swallowing are subserved by a vast brain network. The inferior peri-rolandic sensorimotor ...

Introduction

Nutritional needs changes throughout a person’s life that if not properly assessed may lead to malnutrition. Malnutrition is the state of the body lacking important nutrients or having excess or imbalance of energy. According to studies, 16% of people over 65 years and 2% of people over 85 years are malnourished. Studies also show that approximately two-thirds of people occupying hospital beds are above the age of 65 years (Ahmed & Haboubi, 2010). Malnutrition is associated with a number of health outcomes such as poor wound healing, slow recovery from surgery, higher hospital readmissions, and deaths. Malnutrition is high ...

The Greco-Roman myth is characterized by familial power struggles which mean that power structure was primarily hereditary as power revolved around one family. Familial power structures are reflected by the way Zeus allocated responsibilities to his sons and daughters. The gods, such as Zeus father, killed their sons for fear that they would usurp them while there were also incidences where gods would be dethroned from power. The Greco-Roman myth reflects the way power struggles interfere with the functioning of the society and the extent to which those in authority are willing to go in sustaining their authority and ...

Across most of the globe, the percentage of elderly persons has increased radically. The elderly frequently have outlived a spouse, particularly women, and find themselves living alone on a pensioner’s income. This population is particularly at risk for malnutrition. This paper will discuss some of the sources of nutritional risk, how they can be assessed, interventions available to a gerontological nurse practitioner, and some community resources. 1. Causes of malnutrition among the elderly As individuals age, physiological changes in several systems take place that can impact nutrition, specifically perceptual, renal, gastrointestinal systems (Guigoz, Vellas, & Garry, 1996). Also, chronic ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stroke is the fifth leading illness that causes death in the United States. It is described as one of the primary causes of adult disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Approximately 800,000 people in the U.S alone suffer from a stroke annually. This figure translates to one American dying after every four minutes (Caplan 19). Owing to the serious prevalence the disease represents, the illness has received requisite attention regarding prevention and treatment techniques in an attempt to reduce its incidence. As a result of its quick ...

Abstract

Long-term care is rendered to people with varying levels of functional deficit. Depending on the type of the disability and the status of the wellbeing of the long-term care user, the needs vary. Some long-term care users need minimal assistance while others need maximum assistance. Long-term care is meant to help people with functional deficits to live a comfortable life as much as possible. There are various levels of long-term care options that people should select according to their needs. They include among others; nursing home, home care, home health care, assisted living facility, and community-based care settings. Each ...

Nutritional Assessment for the Elderly

The 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (also called EAT-10) is a self-administered questionnaire meant for dysphagia screening, having every item score from 0-4. The EAT-10 was developed specially to solve the clinical demands for quick, self-administered and initial score questionnaire for assessing the gravity of dysphagia symptoms. Also, it has been validated to have outstanding criterion-based validity, consistency and testretest reproducibility. First, EAT-10 is independently linked with the nutritional state once adjusting for age, setting and gender. Second, the EAT-10 score is independently related to nutritional status and activities of daily living (ADL) after adjusting for age and sex (Dutton, ...