Presbyphagia: Using Evidence to Guide Clinical Practice

This session will focus on the active continuum of presbyphagia to dysphagia in older adults. Recent findings on changes in swallow physiology of healthy adults will be reviewed and incorporated into current clinical practice. Influence of these findings on overall clinical decision-making, including protocols for instrumental assessments, will be discussed. Focus on cultural responsiveness will be highlighted throughout the session, as per need to address ethnicity, aging, lifestyle and other cultural factors as clinicians make decisions regarding assessment, management and treatment. Evidence for all decision-making will be sought and provided as available.

Learner Outcomes:

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the active interplay between presbyphagia and dysphagia in older adults
2. Describe three specific changes related to presbyphagia in normal aging
3. Develop updated assessment protocols for assessing dysphagia based on current findings in healthy aging
4. Provide at least two evidence-based commentaries for previously studied assessment and treatment approaches for dysphagia in adults

SPEAKER BIO:
Dr. Riquelme is Associate Professor & Director, Certificate Program in Deglutition and Dysphagia, Universidad Católica del Uruguay in Montevideo, Uruguay; Consulting Director, Rehabilitation & Speech-Language Pathology, Maimonides Health in Brooklyn, New York; and Adjunct Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University. His research focuses on changes in swallow physiology in dementia and pill swallowing. Publications also include relationships between culture and dysphagia. Luis has presented locally and internationally. He serves as Co-Chair of the IDDSI – International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative and is a member of ASHA’s Healthcare Economics Committee. He received the Honors of ASHA and the Honors of NYSSLHA in 2024; Distinguished Alumni Award from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2023 and is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (119)