Swallow Safely: How Swallowing Problems Threaten the Elderly and Others: A Caregiver's Guide to Recognition, Treatment, and Prevention

Many people these days know about the dangers of falling in the elderly. Falls account for nearly 20,000 deaths annually in the United States. Caregivers do a lot to prevent these tragic accidents from occurring. Relatively few people, however, realize the danger of swallowing problems. They, too, take tens of thousands of lives every year through choking, pneumonia, and malnutrition. SWALLOW SAFELY seeks to erase this knowledge gap. The book presents in clear, non-technical language with illustrations how swallowing works normally, how things can go wrong, what symptoms to watch out for, and how to get help. The book is written primarily for caregivers of elderly persons and others with medical and neurologic problems such as stroke, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and Alzheimer disease commonly associated with swallowing problems. Appendices include a Letter For Your Doctor and Suggestions For Safe Swallowing.