This study has 3 specific aims:~Aim 1 will determine the presence and severity of dysphagia in a cohort of older adults based on clinical frailty phenotype; Aim 2 will examine the effects of frailty status on physiological measures of swallowing in older adults; and Aim 3 will characterize relationships among specific functional frailty domains and dysphagia status in older adults.~This proposed research will provide a new understanding of the factors that underlie and contribute to dysphagia across clinical frailty phenotypes. Equipped with this knowledge, future treatment and management approaches can be developed to proactively identify dysphagia risk factors in pre-frail and frail individuals so dysphagia can be prevented or adequately addressed. This work is highly significant due to the large and increasing population of aging people who often suffer from debilitating swallowing impairments and may benefit from optimized treatments that can be developed using knowledge gained from this study.~Per approved protocol amendment on 3/39/2022, saliva samples will be collected to explore the composition and structure of oral microbiota via 16S rRNA gene analysis.
The purpose of this research study is to figure out if there are physical factors such as cognition level, nutrition status, walking speed, and handgrip strength that are associated with the development of swallowing problems. Investigators want to better understand how swallowing problems develop in older adults with and without frailty. Identifying factors that contribute to swallowing problems, can develop therapies in the future to improve swallowing outcomes for older adults.~This study will be done at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). A total of about 69 people will participate in this study.