THE IMPORTANCE OF DIETARY MODIFICATIONS IN DYSPHAGIA MANAGEMENT IN THE ELDERLY

Swallowing physiology changes with age. The decrease in muscle mass and connective tissue elasticity causes loss of strength and reduced mobility. This may cause a slowdown in swallowing processes. This condition, which expresses difficulty in swallowing, is defined as dysphagia. It is estimated that 13%-35 of independent older individuals living on their own report symptoms of dysphagia. Swallowing disorders were detected in 30.6% of individuals over the age of 65 who were screened for dysphagia in Turkey. Dysphagia; It develops due to reasons such as neurological disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, anatomical anomalies such as esophageal stricture, muscle diseases, gastroesophageal reflux disease and cancer. Dysphagia, characterized by clinical findings such as pain during swallowing, increased salivation, regurgitation, continuous coughing and choking sensation, dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia and mortality, is considered an important health problem that affects the quality of life. Dysphagia treatment in the elderly varies depending on the underlying causes, but is grouped under basic headings such as postural adjustments, swallowing maneuvers, diet modifications, drug therapy and surgical interventions. For nutrition in case of dysphagia, it is recommended that foods be soft, moist, smooth, elastic and easy to swallow. For beverages, it is expected to have the correct viscosity and consistency. In order to create foods and beverages with these properties, there was a need to use methods that could produce texture-modified products. In order to ensure the correct consistency in foods and beverages, accepted descriptive degrees and scales created by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) are used. In this scaling, foods and beverages are rated with different consistency measurements. There are thickening agents to adjust the consistency of foods and beverages for dysphagia. Thickeners used in nutrition in cases of dysphagia are grouped under two headings: starch-based thickeners and gum-based thickeners or hydrocolloids. By using all these methods and equipment, it is aimed to provide healthy nutrition at optimum efficiency level without causing any health problems in individuals with dysphagia, without losing the organoleptic properties of foods and liquids. Based on all these reasons, this review aims to draw attention to current diet modification methods and their importance in the treatment of dysphagia in the elderly.