A serious medical condition like dysphagia affects the lives of both the sufferer and their loved ones, and such effects are unavoidable. Knowing what a sufferer may experience can help in managing the emotional and financial aspects of the condition.
How Can Dysphagia Emotionally Affect Patients And Their Loved Ones?
The emotional effects of dysphagia can be significant, affecting both the sufferer and their family members.
- Swallowing disorders impair quality of life and facilitate anxiety, frustration, and depression, and they can have a negative psychosocial effect on families, as well.
- Embarrassment due to the inability to eat and drink in a socially acceptable way often leads to social isolation; this can also lead to diminished self-esteem.
- Eating habits may be overturned, especially in the case of more restricted diets and the introduction of enteral feedings.
What Are The Financial Effects Of Dysphagia?
The financial effects of this medical condition are significant.
- Total inpatient costs are up to 44% higher per admission among patients with dysphagia compared with average admissions, equalling $4.3-$7.1 billion in additional hospital costs annually.
- The hospital length of stay was 8.8 days for those with dysphagia compared to 5.0 days for those without dysphagia.
- Patients with dysphagia are over 3 times more likely to be transferred to a post-acute care facility.
Here at Carolina Speech Pathology, we are patient-centric. Therefore, we strive to support our customers and patients by providing resources related to FEES. You can access journal citations, websites, recorded webinars, and more on our resources web page.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us by email or phone:
- info@carolinafees.com
- 877-390-1887 (o)
- 919-342-4613 (f)
