Abstract
The changes that occur in the body of healthy elderly may impair the functioning of deglutition. The presbifagia is the focus of this study. The changes in the conduct of food cake in healthy elderly individuals characterize the presbifagia. This study aims to characterize the speech-language findings in oropharyngeal deglutition in elderly with presence or absence of a complaint of swallowing in Irati, Paraná. Seventeen elderly were evaluated. The results show that nine subjects had complaints; five subjects reported to have the sensation of food stopped after swallowing; five had choking during swallowing; four had difficulty in swallowing solid consistency; three complained of "dry mouth" (xerostomia) and an elderly felt pain when swallowing. The evaluation showed 11 subjects with hypotonia of the orofacial muscles; ten individuals used upper prosthesis and three subjects with lower prosthesis; seven elderly showed delay in the pharyngeal phase; an individual with cervical auscultation noisy. The multiple swallowing was observed in most subjects. This may be an attempt to minimize the deficits.
Key words:
Aging; Deglutition; Physiology; Deglutition disorders; Audiology; Articulation disorders; Physiological processes; Quality of life; Aged; Irati city, PR