For the Elderly, Merely Swallowing Food Can Be a Life-Threatening Hazard

Elderly bodies start to slow down as their age increases. The immune system weakens and they are not as strong as they were when they were young. Relatively small things, such as swallowing food, can potentially become a huge problem. For example, food entering the lungs through airways can cause lung infections. Elderly people who find it hard to swallow properly may become fearful of eating altogether which can lead to issues in nutrition. Elderly people who have problems of cleaning their own phlegm or saliva are at risk of choking, which can lead to respiratory failure. Taking all this into consideration, geriatric dysphagia should not be a subject that is easily dismissed, as it can severely damage health and can be a precursor to various life-threatening illnesses.

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Dysphagia in the Elderly - The Geriatric Dietitian

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