Dementia and Swallowing Disorders
2026 edition with complete questions
and correct answers
what are the types of dementia? - Correct Answer: alzheimers, vascular, lewy body, frontotemporal,
alcoholic, and metabolic/nutritional dementia
what is the prevalence of dysphagia and dementia? - Correct Answer: 13-57% across all forms of
dementia
what might be the first sign of dementia and dysphagia? - Correct Answer: weight loss (although not
necessarily associated with dysphagia)
true or false: pneumonia is a common cause of death in patients with dementia. - Correct Answer: TRUE
what are general characteristics of swallowing deficits in dementia patients? - Correct Answer: oral-
stage dysfunction is prominent
how might dementia patients present oral-stage dysfunction? - Correct Answer: deficits in volitional
motor control of food and liquid, uncoordinated oral control of food and liquid, delayed initiation of oral
component of swallow (prolonged meal time), and reduced food intake (nutritional deficits)
what are some other eating-related problems? - Correct Answer: agnosia for food, apraxia for
feeding/swallowing, and oral tactile agnosia
what is agnosia for food? - Correct Answer: inability to recognize food
what is apraxia for feeding/swallowing? - Correct Answer: the patient will become dependent on
caregiver for feeding - risk factor for aspiration pneumonia
what is oral tactile agnosia? - Correct Answer: no recognition of food in mouth
, true or false: when a patient is more functional, they might not have any eating-related impairments -
Correct Answer: TRUE; these characteristics are not always present
true or false: dysphagia can be observed from the mild stages. - Correct Answer: TRUE
when can early identification of dysphagia in dementia occur? - Correct Answer: among oral and feeding
activities during daily life
what was the most significant sign of dysphagia in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: oral rinsing was
most significant associated with dysphagia
what are the swallowing deviations observed in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: slow oral movement,
slow or delayed pharyngeal response, and over slow swallowing duration
what are the consequences of slow swallowing in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: longer mealtime,
increased risk of involuntary weight loss, nutritional deficits, reduced airway protection, and increased
risk of coughing and choking behaviors during mealtimes
what are feeding issues caused by? - Correct Answer: cognitive impairments, motor deficit, loss of
appetite, and food avoidance
what are the consequences of self-feeding difficulties in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: weight loss,
associated nutritional decline, and dependency for feeding
what might a patient with self-feeding difficulties require? - Correct Answer: more self-feeding cues
(e.g., food preparation and utensil use), direction assistance with utensil use for food, and imitation of
feeding behavior form the meal partner
how might dysphagia present in a patient with FTLD? - Correct Answer: have more frequent changes in
appetite and deviations in eating than other dementias
2026 edition with complete questions
and correct answers
what are the types of dementia? - Correct Answer: alzheimers, vascular, lewy body, frontotemporal,
alcoholic, and metabolic/nutritional dementia
what is the prevalence of dysphagia and dementia? - Correct Answer: 13-57% across all forms of
dementia
what might be the first sign of dementia and dysphagia? - Correct Answer: weight loss (although not
necessarily associated with dysphagia)
true or false: pneumonia is a common cause of death in patients with dementia. - Correct Answer: TRUE
what are general characteristics of swallowing deficits in dementia patients? - Correct Answer: oral-
stage dysfunction is prominent
how might dementia patients present oral-stage dysfunction? - Correct Answer: deficits in volitional
motor control of food and liquid, uncoordinated oral control of food and liquid, delayed initiation of oral
component of swallow (prolonged meal time), and reduced food intake (nutritional deficits)
what are some other eating-related problems? - Correct Answer: agnosia for food, apraxia for
feeding/swallowing, and oral tactile agnosia
what is agnosia for food? - Correct Answer: inability to recognize food
what is apraxia for feeding/swallowing? - Correct Answer: the patient will become dependent on
caregiver for feeding - risk factor for aspiration pneumonia
what is oral tactile agnosia? - Correct Answer: no recognition of food in mouth
, true or false: when a patient is more functional, they might not have any eating-related impairments -
Correct Answer: TRUE; these characteristics are not always present
true or false: dysphagia can be observed from the mild stages. - Correct Answer: TRUE
when can early identification of dysphagia in dementia occur? - Correct Answer: among oral and feeding
activities during daily life
what was the most significant sign of dysphagia in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: oral rinsing was
most significant associated with dysphagia
what are the swallowing deviations observed in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: slow oral movement,
slow or delayed pharyngeal response, and over slow swallowing duration
what are the consequences of slow swallowing in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: longer mealtime,
increased risk of involuntary weight loss, nutritional deficits, reduced airway protection, and increased
risk of coughing and choking behaviors during mealtimes
what are feeding issues caused by? - Correct Answer: cognitive impairments, motor deficit, loss of
appetite, and food avoidance
what are the consequences of self-feeding difficulties in mild dementia? - Correct Answer: weight loss,
associated nutritional decline, and dependency for feeding
what might a patient with self-feeding difficulties require? - Correct Answer: more self-feeding cues
(e.g., food preparation and utensil use), direction assistance with utensil use for food, and imitation of
feeding behavior form the meal partner
how might dysphagia present in a patient with FTLD? - Correct Answer: have more frequent changes in
appetite and deviations in eating than other dementias
