Dysphagia and the Older Adult: Oral Healthcare

presented by Angela Mansolillo, MA/CCC-SLP, BCS-S

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Disclosure Statement:

Financial: Angela Mansolillo receives compensation from MedBridge for this course. There is no financial interest beyond the production of this course.

Non-Financial: Angela Mansolillo has no competing non-financial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.

Satisfactory completion requirements: All disciplines must complete learning assessments to be awarded credit, no minimum score required unless otherwise specified within the course.

MedBridge is committed to accessibility for all of our subscribers. If you are in need of a disability-related accommodation, please contact [email protected]. We will process requests for reasonable accommodation and will provide reasonable accommodations where appropriate, in a prompt and efficient manner.

Accreditation Check:

What’s the difference between dysphagia and a normal, aging swallow? The aging swallow has specific characteristics which are distinct from and should not be confused with dysphagia. It is true, however, that dysphagia becomes more prevalent as we age and that aging may in some ways pre-dispose us to swallowing difficulties. This course will discuss potential interventions to improve and support oral health in an aging population. Topics include changes in saliva and oral flora with aging, assessment and intervention to support oral hygiene, and cost reduction through improved oral care.

Meet Your Instructor

Angela Mansolillo, MA/CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Angela Mansolillo, MA/CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is a speech-language pathologist and board-certified specialist in swallowing disorders with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently a senior speech-language pathologist at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she provides evaluation and treatment services for adults and children with dysphagia and is involved in program planning and…

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Chapters & Learning Objectives

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1. Saliva, Oral Flora, and Oral Health

In this chapter the many roles of saliva in the body are discussed. This chapter also describes oral flora and their role in systemic diseases, including aspiration pneumonia.

2. Assessment and Treatment of Oral Hygiene

Chapter two provides strategies for assessment of oral health as part of a dysphagia assessment and reviews the evidence base regarding appropriate oral health interventions including strategies for patients with care-resistant behaviors.

3. Oral Care and Cost Reduction

The final chapter provides a rationale for the implementation of oral hygiene programs both to reduce pneumonia incidence in the elderly and to reduce the cost of care.