ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the wider context of the impact of ageing and healthcare for older people and discusses how communication and swallowing are affected by the ageing process. The process of eating, drinking and swallowing is essential to maintain life. The process spans many aspects of life, from physical and physiological to social, psychological and cultural. There are inevitable physiological changes within the body due to the process of ageing. However, the rate and severity of these changes vary from person to person and interact with social and psychological factors, making one person’s experience of being in older age very different from that of another. Advances in medical treatments and improved living conditions can be hailed as contributors to people living into much older age. For many older adults, ageing is a positive experience. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.
