RANDOMIZED STUDY OF TWO INTERVENTIONS FOR LIQUID ASPIRATION

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Liquid aspiration has been documented as the most common type of aspiration in older subjects, particularly those suffering from debilitation, dementia or depression. The sequelae of the aspiration can be pneumonia which can frequently be a contributing factor to death and also to increase health care costs. This study proposes to define the short and long term effects of two commonly used interventions to eliminate aspiration of thin liquids. These include a "(1) chin down posture, and (2) liquid thickened to honey viscosity or nectar viscosity". The first part of the study will examine the effects of these interventions on the occurrence of aspiration in the short-term as monitored by oropharyngeal videofluorographic study. The study is composed of two parts, the first of which is the initial evaluation by radiographic study as to the possibility of aspiration on the above listed approaches. The second part examines the long term follow up and the effectiveness of the two interventions on the reduction of pneumonia.