Several symptoms and signs were significantly associated with dysphagia in our study: wet-sounding voice, drooling, slow swallowing, coughing, chewing difficulty, and weight loss. A feeling of anxiety at meal times and avoidance of public places for fear of coughing and choking may also be associated with increased risk of dysphagia complications.Nurses and nursing assistants in nursing homes may be responsible for assessment of these symptoms and signs especially during meal times.