218 Swallowing/Communication Screening in Older Adults Attending the Emergency Department and Association with Clinical Frailty Scale Scores

Background Dysphagia, frailty and negative patient outcomes are interlinked1. Changes in communication may result from the ageing process, chronic conditions, and/or neurologic conditions presenting in later years2. However, unlike other cohorts, including stroke, frail older patients are not routin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Age and ageing 2019-09, Vol.48 (Supplement_3), p.iii17-iii65
Main Authors: Boyle, Orla, Kelly, Louise, Ryan, Maeve, Brady, Deirdre, Wade, Ruth, Whelan, Catriona, Doherty, Orlaith, Murphy, Maeve, Mello, Sarah, McElwaine, Paul, Gray, James, Kennelly, Sean, Hayden, Derek
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Chronic illnesses
Clinical assessment
Clinical outcomes
Communication
Dysphagia
Emergency medical care
Emergency services
Frail
Frailty
Interdisciplinary aspects
Medical referrals
Medical screening
Older people
Speech therapy
Statistical analysis
Swallowing
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Summary:Background Dysphagia, frailty and negative patient outcomes are interlinked1. Changes in communication may result from the ageing process, chronic conditions, and/or neurologic conditions presenting in later years2. However, unlike other cohorts, including stroke, frail older patients are not routinely screened for swallowing/communication difficulties in acute settings. We investigated the proportion of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) referrals generated for older patients attending our Emergency Department (ED) following use of a swallowing/communication screening tool and their association with Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) scores. Methods A retrospective analysis of data collected over a four week period was completed. Older patients presenting to ED were screened by the interdisciplinary gerontological ED team using a screening tool, including a locally developed swallow/communication screen. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA Version 12. Results Of 176 patients screened (mean age 81.8 years, SD 5.9 years), median CFS score was 5 (IQR 3-6). Thirty-seven percent (66/176) of patients were referred for SLT assessment following initial screen. SLT referrals were more commonly required in patients with a CFS score of ≥4 (46.2% vs. 19.3%, P=0.001) and likelihood of requiring SLT referral increased with greater CFS score (P
ISSN:0002-0729
1468-2834
DOI:10.1093/ageing/afz103.132