You’d be surprised

Many times when we assess a resident who is struggling to eat or drink a normal diet that you and I manage easily, family and friends may think it’s such a shame to have their loved one’s meals modified, even slightly. There are several levels of food and liquid modification set by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation, from very minor changes to more significant ones.

We all think the resident will be unhappy on a modified diet but more often than not, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Most residents realise the difficulty and discomfort they experience when eating. Therefore, when the speech pathologist explains the diet modification, they are extremely relieved to be able to continue to enjoy the food they like and to feel comfortable and safe eating or drinking it.

We can’t let our preferences or mental projections stop the elderly from enjoying meals in the safest possible way. Understanding the modifications and their implications is essential.



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