USE of FEEDING TUBES in NURSING HOME RESIDENTS WITH SEVERE COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

Difficulty swallowing that results in weight loss and recurrent aspiration pneumonia is often a sign that death is immient in persons with severe cognitive impairment. The role of feeding tubes in delaying death and/or enhancing the quality of life is controversial with existing evidence suggesting that the use of feeding tubes in use of feeding tubes in patients with severe dementia of questionable benefit. The following map examines the sate by state variation among nursing home residents with severe cognitive impairment (i.e., having the equivalent Mini Mental Status Exam score of 5 or less).

2001 - US Average 21.16

To find out information about the use of feeding tubes in your state, click here.

For more information on the role of feeding tubes in the care of end stage dementia, click here.

For policy relevant summary of these findings, click here.

For information on this research, click here.