A Tiny Amount of Time

Barbara Braithwaite, Safe Swallowing Team • February 1, 2021

Dr Julie Bajic Smith of Wise Care recently commented about a big myth regarding wellbeing later in life. She said many believe that only certain professionals can ‘fix’ a person’s wellbeing. Her mission for 2021 is to dispel this illusion. I think in any human interaction, with any level of education, we, as a collective can have an enormous impact on the lives of those around us.


In aged care, amongst the hectic schedule of tasks that must be completed within a single shift, taking a few minutes to sit and ask a resident ‘How are you going today?’ can have a deep impact on their wellbeing. I have the luxury of allocating a significant amount of time when conducting a swallowing assessment at an aged care facility. This allows me to get to know the resident and find the best way to manage their swallowing issue. People’s life stories are endlessly interesting. Taking a small amount of time to let them know you are interested can change a person’s entire day.


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