IOPI Medical Q4 2024 Newsletter - IOPI Cares-Trainer Rental Program & a New Book from Ed Bice!

Happy new year! We hope the holidays gave you some time to restore and reflect on what 2025 will look like for you. Here at IOPI, it looks like returning to the EU, growing our distributor network, launching a whole new rental program, and continuing to grow our IOPI family.
Read on to find out more and see what we’ve been up to, and don’t forget to visit our website. It offers the latest news and research and gives you the opportunity to earn free CEUs with your choice of three courses, interact with our IOPI staff, and Patient Advocacy tools (have you seen the Dysphagia Cost tool?!). You can also use our Get a Quote page if you are in need of pricing information. It’s quick and easy! Visit us at https://iopimedical.com/
If you are interested in learning more about IOPI Cares and our new Trainer Rental Program, visit us at https://iopicares.com/
You can also interact with us on Instagram iopimedical & Facebook IOPI Medical LLC for the latest news and information.
Share the wealth! If you know someone who could benefit from our quarterly newsletter, send them this link to get signed up, www.iopimedical.com/news/

IOPI Cares is about helping as many patients as possible with a patient centric approach in all that we do. Under IOPI® Cares, we are making wellness more accessible with our Trainer Rental Program. This program will allow you to provide your patients with the level of care and quality that only an IOPI device can give, with a level of accessibility we have never had before. Now THAT is a combination to get excited about!
While the official launch of the rental program is scheduled for March, you can register your interest now by visiting https://iopicares.com/ and clicking on Care Clinicians. There you will find the simple steps it takes to become a Cares Clinician, making wellness more accessible for your patients.

Many of you may already be familiar with our esteemed Clinical Consultant, Ed Bice, but did you know, you can learn from him from the comfort of your office or home?
IOPI Medical offers ASHA Continuing Education Units with our FREE courses.

Choose from:

The Role of Oral Musculature in Swallowing and the Therapeutic Benefits of the IOPI, reviewing the oral musculature and its essential functions, as well as explore exercise principles and how the IOPI can be integrated into a dysphagia treatment plan.

Building a Therapy Program from the Ground Up, examining current evidence related to the assessment and treatment of dysphagia and providing practical suggestions for a path forward.

IOPI Research Updates, summarizing recent findings related to the IOPI.

Click for more information or to register, All Courses (thinkific.com)

Having just finished with what is without a doubt, my favorite time of the year, I am reminded of the tremendous responsibility we have in supporting people with eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties, as our recommendations often impact their celebrations. The articles in this edition of the newsletter will highlight information published since the last holiday season, examining the social and health impacts of dysphagia and allowing us to reflect on our practices and their impact. My hope for the new year is that we will look beyond the larynx and peer into the lived experiences of the people who trust us with their care. Let’s work together to provide the people we encounter with the same quality of life we enjoy. Ed M. Bice, M. Ed., CCC-SLP

Ready for Discharge, but Are They Ready to Go Home? Examining Neighborhood-Level Disadvantage as a Marker of the Social Exposome and the Swallowing Care Process in a Retrospective Cohort of Inpatients with Dementia

Robison, R. D., Butz, N., Gustafson, S., Wang, S., Falvey, J., Mackowicz-Torres, M., Rogus-Pulia, N., & Kind, A. (2024). Ready for Discharge, but Are They Ready to Go Home? Examining Neighborhood-Level Disadvantage as a Marker of the Social Exposome and the Swallowing Care Process in a Retrospective Cohort of Inpatients with Dementia. American journal of speech-language pathology, 33(3), 1536–1547.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38502719/

https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_AJSLP-23-00332

Socioeconomically disadvantaged areas are more resource-poor, impacting adherence to swallowing care recommendations. Neighborhood-level disadvantage metrics, such as the Area Deprivation Index, allow for examining social determinants of health in a precise region. The study examined the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on swallowing care for people living with dementia, using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) to assess neighborhood-level disadvantages. By reviewing speech-language pathology notes and discharge summaries, the authors examined ADI in a group of people living with dementia. The findings revealed that people with dysphagia and dementia had significantly higher deprivation scores compared to the surrounding county. While 85% of individuals in these areas received recommendations for diet modifications or alternative nutrition, there was no documentation of additional resource linking or counseling. The study highlights the need for speech-language pathologists to address challenges in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas and advocates for more equitable swallowing care and post-discharge support.

The true cost of dysphagia on quality of life: The views of adults with swallowing disability

Smith, R., Bryant, L., & Hemsley, B. (2023). The true cost of dysphagia on quality of life: The views of adults with swallowing disability. International journal of language & communication disorders, 58(2), 451–466.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36479787/

https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12804

Nine individuals with mild to severe dysphagia, as assessed by the Dysphagia Disorders Survey, were interviewed. They expressed that dysphagia, and its treatments negatively impacted their quality of life, describing it as a "high price" paid in terms of reduced physical safety, limited choice and control, poor mealtime experiences, and diminished social engagement. In managing their dysphagia, participants identified various barriers and facilitators that could improve their quality of life. These included being involved in meal planning, adaptability, taking ownership of their swallowing difficulties, managing others' perceptions, and resisting changes to their oral intake.

‘I only eat because I have to—to live’: The impacts of dysphagia on quality of life from the perspectives of people with dysphagia, supporters of people with dysphagia and allied health professionals

Smith, R., Bryant, L., & Hemsley, B. (2024). 'I only eat because I have to-to live': The impacts of dysphagia on quality of life from the perspectives of people with dysphagia, supporters of people with dysphagia and allied health professionals. International journal of language & communication disorders, 59(5), 1966–1980.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38787316/

The authors conducted an online survey with thirty adults who have dysphagia, four supporters of individuals with dysphagia, and eighteen allied health professionals. Participants with dysphagia reported that the condition and texture-modified foods had a more significant impact on their physical health than on their choice and control or social engagement. However, after physical health, the area people with dysphagia rated as most impacted was social engagement. Supporters and allied health professionals felt that dysphagia affected both the physical health and the sense of choice and control of those with the condition. Across all groups, participants agreed that mealtime enjoyment, participation, and inclusion were influenced by factors such as the control a person had over their meals, the accessibility of the mealtime environment, and the attitudes of others.

“Know the risks but balance that with their enjoyment”: Impacts of dysphagia on quality of life from the perspectives of allied health professionals

Smith R, Bryant L, Hemsley B. “Know the risks but balance that with their enjoyment”: Impacts of dysphagia on quality of life from the perspectives of allied health professionals. Advances in Communication and Swallowing. 2022;25(2):83-95. doi:10.3233/ACS-220012

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3233/ACS-220012

The study aimed to explore the perspectives of allied health professionals who work with individuals with dysphagia. The authors examined how clinicians view the impact of dysphagia on a person’s quality of life, participation, and inclusion, as well as the barriers and facilitators to mealtime-related quality of life. Allied health professionals recognized that dysphagia negatively impacts a person’s quality of life, influencing their choice and control, social engagement, physical health, and enjoyment of food. Key barriers and facilitators to improving quality of life included societal attitudes toward texture-modified foods, the implementation of dysphagia interventions, knowledge and education about dysphagia, and the individual’s control over aspects of mealtime design. The authors concluded that the impact of dysphagia on quality of life extends beyond food enjoyment to affect social activities and inclusion.

To help you achieve the greatest level of success for your patients, we continue to provide you with the necessary Purchasing Advocacy tools, as well as clinical support.

Our Purchasing Advocacy tools can be found on our Medical Professionals page. Here you will find our IOPI Dysphagia Cost Tool as well as a ready-to-use Benefits of IOPI for Dysphagia PowerPoint. Just populate it with information specific to your patient’s needs.

You also have clinical support at your fingertips. Our clinical consultant, Ed M. Bice, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, is available to mentor through the advocacy process to assess and report the estimated cost of dysphagia to your facility. You can reach Ed for a patient consultation or clinical question by calling (844) 844-IOPI or emailing ed@iopimedical.com.

To access our IOPI Dysphagia Cost Tool, the Benefits of IOPI for Dysphagia PowerPoint, and tips on advocating for your patients, please visit: https://iopimedical.com/purchasing-advocacy/