The American journal of nursing
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Dysphagia, the impairment of any part of the swallowing process, increases the risk of aspiration. Dysphagia and aspiration are associated with the development of aspiration pneumonia. ⋯ This article discusses best practices for assessment and prevention of aspiration among older adults who are being hand-fed or fed by tube. To view an accompanying online video, go to http://links.lww.com/A226.
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Older adults are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, which often goes undetected and increases the risks of illness and death. The Joint Commission has required U. S. hospitals to provide nutrition screening to all patients within 24 hours of admission, but that doesn't cover patients in other settings, nor is there a standardized assessment tool for finding malnutrition in older adults. ⋯ It consists of 18 questions and can be completed in about 15 minutes. A short form, containing the first six questions, can be used for screening. For a free online video demonstrating the use of this tool, go to http://links.lww.com/A221.