Medically Fragile Adults: Issues in Evaluation and Treatment

[+] Enlarge Image Option(s): Audio CD and Manual, Additional Manual(s) Author(s): Barbara C. Sonies, PhD, CCC-SLP, JoAnne Robbins, PhD, CCC-SLP, Paula A. Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP Description:	Audio CD and Manual Member: $74.00 Nonmember: $99.00 Additional Manual(s) From 1 to 5: $44.00 From 6 to 10: $40.00 11 or more: $38.00 Qty:

Many medical conditions, can cause medical fragility in adults. Normal age-related muscle weakness or wasting (sarcopenia), combined with poor nutrition or physical neglect secondary to age-related disease, can further impair feeding, swallowing, and communicative interaction in persons who are medically fragile. These factors increase the risk that presbyphagia will become dysphagia with its consequences, including malnutrition, in older individuals. This program presents options for providing muscle strengthening exercises and other more traditional treatments, considering their effects on health status. Case studies illustrate treatment outcomes and ethical issues in the provision of services for this population.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

identify medical conditions typically associated with the medically fragile adult
differentiate conditions that have high rates of medical complications from the normal aging process
describe the implications of sarcopenia and the potential for reversing this condition in medically fragile persons with dysphagia
discuss the complex interaction of ethical considerations, patient/family concerns, and health status in recommending treatment for frail elderly persons

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