Selected aspects of old age (Wybrane aspekty staro¿ci)

Difficulties in proper food intake may occur at any age, and their cause may be a single problem, or a few, overlapping. A person with dysphagia has a problem with taking the food, keeping it in the mouth, forming the content in a bite of food (bolus), then transporting the food deep into the mouth to the throat and through the esophagus to the stomach. Difficulty swallowing can occur on each of the mentioned sections of the digestive tract. Dysphagia, as a result of various dysfunctions may result in malnutrition and dehydration - dangerous for the proper functioning of the body. That is why it is so important for both caregivers and therapists to be ready to receive and swallow fluids and foods by the patients. Dysphagia accompanies sick and disabled people in many disease entities, sometimes there are several causes. Safe eating is a great challenge for both caregivers and teams of therapists who improve the health of people with eating difficulties.