Analysis of Patients’ Dietary Status/Restrictions Following Instrumental Swallow Evaluations in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Many residents in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) present with dysphagia and receive altered diets or liquids to minimize the risk of complications. Limited access to timely instrumental evaluations of swallow may impede the best management of these dysphagic residents. De-identified FEES reports completed by a mobile FEES company during a single month, January 2019, were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the pre-study diet/liquid levels and the post-study diet/liquid recommendations. FEES reports (n = 952) were reviewed. Before the FEES evaluation, 209 residents were receiving only non-oral nutrition. After the FEES evaluation, 76% of these residents were recommended to receive oral nutrition. Before the FEES evaluation, 442 (46%) residents were receiving thickened liquids, after the FEES evaluation, 244 (26%) were recommended to have a less restrictive liquid level. Before the FEES evaluation, 576 (60%) residents were receiving altered food texture, after the FEES evaluation, 413 (43%) were recommended to have a less restrictive food texture. The percentage of residents recommended to receive thin liquids increased from 32 to 68% and those recommended to receive a regular diet increased from 18 to 34%. These data indicate that access to instrumental swallow evaluations in the SNF setting generally resulted in lifting liquid and diet restrictions for many residents in the cohort reviewed and potentially improved their quality of life.