Effects of Olfactory Stimulation on Swallowing Function in Taiwanese Older Adults

This pretest-posttest pilot study was to examine the effects of how olfactory stimulation (OS) influenced swallowing function in older adults. Forty-four community-dwelling older residents (24 OS & 20 control) from southern Taiwan were recruited. Participants in the intervention group administered pre-meal OS using odor and flavor inhalation. The study found that physiological responses for different food textures significantly differed between groups at post-test (p ≤ .02). Within the experimental group, swallowing function, and individual satisfaction showed significant differences before and after the odor inhalation over time (p