Media

Ageing in place: Safe swallowing in the frail elderly living in the community

24 Aug 2015

 

The elderly often experience swallowing difficulties due to illness or frailty. These difficulties can negatively impact on nutrition, hydration, and quality of life of those affected. Most worryingly, swallowing difficulties can lead to fatalities due to inhalation of food and drink into the airway due to poor swallowing function. Hong Kong has an increasingly aging population, and the burden of health care due to swallowing difficulties will rise with the increase in older adults. The Swallowing Research Laboratory of the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education conducted a study in 2013-2015 funded by the Public Policy Research Funding Scheme, to investigate 1) the prevalence of swallowing problems in elderly people who are receiving government subsidized elderly community support services, and 2) the swallowing management knowledge and skills in the carers from residential care service units and caregivers of home-living elderly who have swallowing problems.

The Swallowing Research Laboratory of the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, HKU will elaborate on the prevalence and risk factors associated with swallowing problems in frail elderly.

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend the press briefing, with details as follows:

Date: August 25, 2015 (Tomorrow)

Time: 11:00am

Venue: Room 750, 7/F, Meng Wah Complex, The University of Hong Kong

Language: Cantonese

Speakers:

Professor Edwin M.L. Yiu, Co-Director of Swallowing Research Laboratory, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, HKU

Dr. Karen M.K. Chan, Assistant Professor, Director of Swallowing Research Laboratory, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, HKU

Miss Dai Pu, Speech Therapist, Swallowing Research Laboratory, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, HKU

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Yuki Wong (Swallowing Research Laboratory), Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, HKU (Tel: 3917 1568 / Fax: 2559 0060 / E-mail: yukiwyy@hku.hk).