The present study was designed to investigate swallowing function in patients at admission to community-based integrated care wards and to determine the value of this early evaluation. Seventy-seven elderly patients who were admitted to these wards from April 2023 to March 2024 enrolled in the study. Within the first 48 hours after admission, a multidisciplinary team used a custom-designed screening tool, along with structured meal observation sessions, to assess oral and pharyngeal function and the current method of nutritional intake. Diets for dysphagia were categorized according to the Dysphagia Diet Classification 2021 and subsequently compared with the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative framework. Assessment of oral and pharyngeal function relied on the Food Intake LEVEL Scale (FILS) combined with standardized meal rounds. When required, fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing was also conducted. The relationship between modifications in feeding routes and final discharge destinations was tested with the chi-squared test. At the same time, shifts in FILS scores were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The leading medical conditions observed were aspiration pneumonia and cerebrovascular disorders. A substantial number of patients transitioned safely from total or peripheral parenteral nutrition to oral feeding, and this transition was associated with clear improvements in their FILS scores. Overall, the results underline the practical benefits of early swallowing assessment and careful selection of feeding methods in community-based integrated care wards. Findings from this work may support the development of more effective feeding strategies and better nutritional oversight throughout the hospital stay. By applying easy-to-share multidisciplinary swallowing assessment tools, it becomes possible to encourage a secure return to oral intake without always needing extensive specialized testing.
