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Dysphagia (Swallowing Disorders) Rehabilitation
Dysphagia is the term for any difficulty or discomfort with chewing or swallowing. It is estimated that up to 10 million Americans have some degree of dysphagia. Various sources indicate that more than 40 percent of geriatric patients in acute care hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and homecare setting may have some swallowing impairment. Many disorders can cause dysphagia, including Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Head or Spinal Trauma, Alzheimer’s Disease, Oral Cancer and Reflux Disorders.
VNSW provides a comprehensive program to dysphagia patients, a multi-disciplinary approach. This involves giving guidance to the VNSW team providing related services, and the education of family, and other caregivers.
Often there are speech problems associated with swallowing difficulty, and the program also includes speech pathology rehabilitation services. This involves helping patients to coordinate their speech and swallowing, to do breathing exercises, and generally increase their endurance.
Program Benefits
- Improve swallow strength
- Reduce risk of aspiration
- Assure adequate nutrition/hydration
- Educate patients and caregivers to provide a structured and safe home environment
- Improve quality of life for patients with swallowing disorders
Services
- Evaluate swallowing ability
- Recommend correct diet consistencies and liquid thickness
- Instruct on safety and compensatory positions to improve swallowing
- Provide information on nutrition and hydration
- Progress patient in changing consistency of food
- Monitor safety with home feeding/drinking
- As needed, utilize nursing, therapies and home health aide services to improve quality of life
- Make additional medical evaluations and referrals when necessary (i.e. Modified Barium Swallow and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing)
E-mail for more info, or call (914) 682-1480, ext. 660
