Therapeutic approaches for presbyphonia Enfoques terapéuticos para la presbifonía An exploratory literature review

Abstract

The term "presbyphonia" refers to the symptomatology caused by physiological changes in the vocal production system in healthy older adults. There are various therapeutic approaches for its management, however, there is not enough research to document these and, from there, to understand the available and effective techniques for vocal therapy, which poses a challenge for speech-language pathology. This is especially pertinent considering the rapid process of population aging currently underway and the growing need to address older individuals with this condition from a gerontological and situated perspective. This review analyzed the available scientific evidence on therapeutic approaches and methodological strategies used for the therapeutic management of presbyphonia, in order to characterize the tools that are currently being used. An exploratory literature review was conducted following the PRISMA method guidelines, and 6 scientific publications were selected. In the research, none of which were in Spanish, there is a trend towards the use of proposals based on the biomedical model, with individual interventions and grounded on a physiological approach. Evidence supports an integrative, group-based intervention, situated in the community, with an eclectic approach that aligns with international guidelines for working with the elderly. It concludes the urgent need for new research that rigorously accounts for new efficient approaches to behavioral intervention in presbyphonia, especially those that adapt to the process of aging healthily.