September 2024 Newsletter
Fall is near!
With Great Respect,
We pay tribute to the creation of our nation’s strength, freedom and leadership….
The American Workers!!!
Passion is the difference between having a job and having a career!
Back to school time for our kids!
And ….We are getting much closer to Fall! WOOHOOO!
Upcoming September Holiday - DiagnosTEX will be closed on Labor Day, Monday September 2nd.
Please consider this when scheduling your studies. We will operate Tuesday – Friday that week.
This Labor Day, we would like to give a shout out to our office staff, SLP’s, Techs, and MDs. Thank you for all you do and the quality in which you do it! The road to success is through commitment. Thank you for your commitment to DiagnosTEX, our customers and our patients by continuing to provide the care needed to those who needed us and doing it with their best interest at heart! The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today! If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed people can make a difference in the world and their community! Thankful for our local dedicated teams at DiagnosTEX!
Ronda Polansky, Pam Ragland, Ashley Stone, Sunnye Thompson, Gus Flores, Kelly Sullivan, Manny Carrillo, Roy Turner
Kelli Mikkelson, Augie Falbo, Charlotte Rice, Nicole Kindred, Grady Murphy, Ashlea Good, Mason Jones, Bobby Williams, Bea Wright, Anna Matthews, Charles Railsback, Angel Negron, Steve Morrell, Jason East, Alan Unell
YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY! FUN and 6.5 ASHA CEs for $60.00
DiagnosTEX has provided inexpensive local CE for over 20 years! We so enjoy gathering with our friends, colleagues and clients to discuss our passion of dysphagia and give back to all of you for the support and loyalty to our company and service over the past 2 decades! It has been such an honor and oh so much fun!
This year’s DiagnosTEX Annual CE Conference is more than halfway full! Join us for a comprehensive event on "Dysphagia Across the Life Span – Pediatrics to Geriatrics. The Role of the SLP for Clinical Excellence." 🗓️ Conference Date: Friday, September 20, 2024, 8:30am-4:30pm 🏨 Venue: Aloft Dallas Euless Hotel - 1301 Chisholm Trail, Euless, TX 76039 (right off Hwy 121) Secure your spot now at DiagnosTEX website. Don't miss out on this valuable learning opportunity! Remember, the deadline for registration is September 13th.
Tarrant County leads state in Alzheimer’s case numbers - Texas Department of State Health Services found 23% of the state’s Alzheimer’s care recipients are in Tarrant County — the highest among the 254 counties. Write to your member of Congress about how dementia has impacted your life and how streamlined dementia care would help! Join the fight against Alzheimer's and help to raise awareness and funds for care, support, and research in our local community by participating in the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's®.
2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Northeast Tarrant County 09/21/2024
2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Weatherford, TX 09/28/2024
2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Fort Worth, TX 10/19/2024
2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Arlington, TX 11/02/202
Dysphagia, or swallowing difficulties, are common in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, especially in those with moderate to severe cases. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) commonly lead to oropharyngeal dysphagia. It's caused by neurological changes in the disease and can affect both the oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing. Dysphagia can lead to complications like aspiration pneumonia, weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration. It can also increase the risk of longer hospitalizations and higher healthcare costs. Instrumental evaluations of swallowing are important for people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dysphagia because they can help identify swallowing impairments and determine how to manage dysphagia. Dysphagia can be present in 50–75% of early AD patients, and 84–93% of moderate-to-severe AD patients. Aspiration pneumonia is the leading cause of death in AD patients.
A speech pathologist can start with a clinical swallow evaluation at the bedside to assess for signs of dysphagia and evaluate functional aspects of swallowing. However, this evaluation may not be enough to rule out aspiration, so an instrumental evaluation is recommended. Instrumental evaluations allow therapists to directly visualize the anatomical structures and physiology of swallowing, identify breakdowns, and confirm if aspiration is occurring. This population deserves the same access to quality dysphagia evaluations as any other populations. Be their ADVOCATE!
AD individuals are vulnerable to developing or worsening dysphagia during hospitalization. A study that reviewed hospitalized patients with AD found they are more likely to be diagnosed with dysphagia than those without AD and, when diagnosed, experience more severe cases. Results underscore the importance of evaluating swallowing function in hospitalized patients with AD in order to facilitate targeted intervention. A VFSS/MBSS following the BSE confirms the presence of dysphagia in patients both with and without AD, providing evidence that the presence of dysphagia can be adequately recognized through clinical evaluation. However, instrumentation is necessary for further characterization of the swallow. Wang S, Gustafson S, Deckelman C, Sampene E, Daggett S, Loosen J, Robison R, Pulia MS, Knigge M, Thibeault S, Gilmore-Bykovskyi A, Kind A, Rogus-Pulia N. Dysphagia Profiles Among Inpatients with Dementia Referred for Swallow Evaluation. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;89(1):351-358. doi: 10.3233/JAD-220402. PMID: 35871347; PMCID: PMC9484116.
Other CE opportunities
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CE Learning Opportunities – Live Webinars at your convenience! Free Self Studies with Promo Code freeforphi24.
Register at www.PatheousHealth.com - Deciphering Dysphagia with Ampcare’s ESP™ (Effective Swallowing Protocol) On-Demand + Live, In-Person on September 13, 2024. Space is limited to 15 seats. Total of 10 hours Advanced ASHA CEUs Course
Details: 2 hours of on-demand pre-course work 8 hours of live, in-person training Friday, 8 am-5 pm
at the Holiday Inn Express 21010 Katy Freeway Katy, TX 77449.
Register at www.ampcarellc.com
Dysphagia Tidbit – Esophageal Dysphagia
Two illnesses that GERD conditions can lead to include Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer. Men are three times more likely to develop these conditions, according to the National Institutes of Health.
If GERD symptoms persist, they could hint at traces of adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that forms in glandular cells of the esophagus. Cancer symptoms to search for: Chronic cough, Dysphagia: trouble swallowing and a sensation that food is stuck in your throat, chest pain and weight loss without trying. Being proactive about evaluating for GERD is key to preventing esophageal cancer.