Title: “Proactive Dysphagia Management in Individuals with Cardiopulmonary and Neurological Diseases”

Speaker: Dr. Cara Donohue, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

My clinical research program focuses on proactive dysphagia management to reduce morbidity and improve quality of life for medically complex older adults. I will present work examining the impact of preoperative respiratory muscle strength training on postoperative pulmonary, cough, and swallow function in cardiothoracic patients. I will also discuss research characterizing age-related changes in swallowing physiology in healthy older adults to distinguish presbyphagiavs. dysphagia. Building upon this, I will describe the development and validation of potential dysphagia screening tools in individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease. Finally, I will review two future research projects which will 1) determine the prevalence and risk factors for dysphagia in critically ill older adults in the ICU and post-ICU setting, and 2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of intensive, targeted dysphagia interventions in the acute care setting. Collectively, this work advances early identification and prevention-oriented dysphagia care across the continuum of aging and illness.

Attendees are encouraged to join in person in HSAB 2004. Seating is limited (first-come, first-served, ~50 seats), but the seminar will also be available via Zoom.