Really Enjoying Morning Tea

I recently reviewed a resident in an aged care facility at morning teatime. I was checking to see if she was still safe on her modified diet of mildly thickened fluids and a soft, bite sized diet. The tea lady was making her second round and asked this lady if she would like another cup of tea.

This was a resident in a beautiful setting; a heritage listed house that had been converted to an aged care facility. Morning tea was a social time for the residents and an opportunity to interact with the other residents. The lady I was seeing was one of three sisters, like myself in fact, and her two sisters were residents as well. They chatted animatedly. It was lovely to see.

Anyhow, back to the lady I was seeing. She did want another cup of tea which the tea lady prepared for her. It was prepared as a thin fluid, however. Thin fluids are dangerous for this resident; her swallowing ability had deteriorated to a mild degree and, as a result, swallowing thin fluids put her at risk of choking; of the liquid travelling to her lungs instead of her stomach. Of course, the tea lady did not have an understanding of this risk.

It highlighted for me the need for all aged care staff to be familiar with an understanding of the swallowing mechanism and the best way to manage swallowing difficulties.

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