Title: Care for Stroke Patients with Eating Difficulties
Abstract: Eating difficulties after stroke are common and comprise multiple and complex aspects, such as mealtime problems, problems with chewing and swallowing and lack of energy, difficulties maintaining upright posture, and visual, perceptual and attention deficits, as well as contextual factors related to eating as a social activity. Impaired swallowing or dysphagia is a frequent and potentially life-threatening aspect of eating difficulties causing undernutrition, aspiration, and suffering for the individual. The evidence base for care for stroke patients with eating difficulties is scarce. However, methods for dysphagia treatment that can be managed by the individual or by nursing staff exist, and training with the IQoro oral screen has resulted in significant improvement of stroke patients' swallowing capacity. Other important interventions for good and safe care for those patients include timely screening, assessment and referral; mealtime management; modification of mealtime activities and environment; eating assistance and feeding skills; training and monitoring; oral care; and nutritional education of patients and their families. It is reasonable to conclude that with sufficient attention and a variety of methods, as suggested above, patient outcomes can be significantly improved. Such care requires structured and multiprofessional work focusing on the individual patient's preferences and needs, and involving the patient and family to as large an extent as possible.
Publication Year: 2015
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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