Why Dysphagia Education and IDDSI Mealtime Management is Important

Disability and Aged care facilities are in a position to do more to prevent their residents from choking and ensuring that their wellbeing is not affected by swallowing difficulties, also known as Dysphagia.

Ensuring you know what to look out for is vital for a resident’s general health. As many as a third of those in disability and aged care facilities have swallowing problems.

Many residents have developed infections simply because food has slipped into their airway. If they are not eating the right food consistencies and have developed an infection, they may become disoriented, causing their behaviour to deteriorate, resulting in them not remembering their current capabilities, become malnourished, even causing aggression or falls.

It is vital all those working with the ageing population have access to accurate safe swallowing education. The consequences of a 'swallowing incident' can be disastrous - even fatal - to the health and safety of residents and the elderly being cared for at home.