Effects of perception on performed swallowing behavior: An investigation of the relationship between age, perception, and spontaneous swallowing frequency

Community-dwelling elderly (CDE) are typically-aging, older adults that live independently in their communities. CDE do not live under the care of health professionals and are therefore at risk for health complications that result from normal aging processes. Aging processes such as decreased muscle mass and diminished sensory acuity may impact the older adult’s swallowing function, putting them at risk for health complications such as aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and death. To ensure CDE receive services for potential changes in swallowing, they need to be able to detect when changes in their swallowing function occur. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of age with concordance between spontaneous swallowing frequency and perception of swallowing function. Results from isolated audio swallow frequency recordings were compared with responses to six items from the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) across two cohorts of 19-26 years (n1 =11) and 46-83 years (n2 = 11). The results indicate that older adults swallow significantly less (p = 0.047) than younger adults but display no difference in perception of function or comfort. This suggests typically aging, older adults may not perceive natural changes to their swallowing ability that may be threatening their health