Speech, language, and swallowing disorders in the older adult.

The geriatric population has become a major component in the practice of medical speech-language pathology. This article discusses normal and abnormal functions of speech, voicing, language, cognition, and swallowing. Particular attention is given to disorders affecting the geriatric population. Evaluation, treatment, and ethical issues are explored in addition to the role of the speech-language pathologist on the interdisciplinary team.