Voice Disorders in the Elderly

Karen M Kost; Robert T Sataloff

doi:10.1016/j.cger.2018.01.010

Voice Disorders in the Elderly

Clin Geriatr Med. 2018 May;34(2):191-203. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2018.01.010.

Authors

Karen M Kost¹, Robert T Sataloff²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University Health Centre, Room DS1-3310, 1001 Decarie Bouleard, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3J1, Canada. Electronic address: kmkost@yahoo.com.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

PMID: 29661332
DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2018.01.010

Abstract

Presbyphonia is more common than appreciated by most physicians, and it is associated with undesirable vocal characteristics such as hoarseness, weakness, breathiness, instability, and tremulousness. Hearing impairment in the patient or his or her friends, family, and associates exacerbates the problem, resulting in depression and social withdrawal, further reducing quality of life. Moreover, voice weakness and instability are all too often misinterpreted as reflecting intellectual instability. Expert diagnosis, medical treatment, voice therapy and training, and occasionally surgery usually can maintain or restore vocal stability and "youth."

Keywords: Acoustics of aging voice; Physiology of aging voice; Presbyphonia; Quality of life; Singing; Vocal atrophy; Vocal exercise; Voice therapy.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Disease Management
Humans
Quality of Life*
Voice Disorders* / diagnosis
Voice Disorders* / physiopathology
Voice Disorders* / psychology
Voice Disorders* / therapy
Voice Quality*