Swallowing and dysphagia and food/fluid consistencies

Prepared by:  Sarah Ciccarello
Presented by:  Wellness & Lifestyles Australia

This e-Book will assist you in understanding dysphagia, its causes, strategies for management, and the role of texture modified food and fluid in the management of dysphagia.

Do you find that you lack a basic understanding of swallowing disorders and choking episodes?  Are they going unnoticed or are your patients losing weight or becoming dehydrated as a result of dysphagia?

Did you know that 35% of patients in aged care facilities are dehydrated?

Did you know that aged care facilities have been held liable for dehydration and weight loss?

W&L’s speech pathology professionals have developed this e-Book to help improve your understanding and ability to manage dysphagia, and in turn, enhance the quality of care provided to patients.

What this e-book can do for you…

• Educate you on what dysphagia is and what conditions affect the nerves and muscles used for swallowing
• Educate you about the signs and symptoms of dysphagia and how to safety provide meal assistance
• Increase an awareness of the importance of speech pathologists and their role in aged care facilities

Included in this e-book is…

• Cranial nerves and musculature involved in swallowing
• An outline of a normal swallow
• Dysphagia
  • Summary
  • Causes
  • Signs and symptoms
  • Contributing factors
  • Safe swallowing procedures
  • Safe swallowing positioning
• The role of texture modified food and fluid in the management of dysphagia
• A comprehensive and up to date list of texture modified foods and thickened fluid

Who should use this e-book?

All carers of elderly people would benefit from this e-learning module, especially if their patients have dementia, neuromuscular diseases or disorders, oesophageal disorders, acquired brain injuries, or have had a stroke, as these individuals are often a high risk of swallowing difficulties.

This e-Book provides you with a comprehensive overview of all aspects of swallowing disorders including the incidence of dysphagia, anatomy and physiology, causes of dysphagia, management of swallowing difficulties, the role of modified food and fluid in the management if dysphagia and a full description of foods and fluid included in the different textures.

Residential facilities that have been equipped with knowledge and training about dysphagia are more aware of the signs and symptoms, thus enabling problems to be observed at the crucial early stage of development. Furthermore, residential facilities provided with information about dysphagia are more aware of how to care for patients with swallowing difficulties, both improving the quality of care provided to patients and reducing liability risks.

Individuals and facilities cooking for individuals with dysphagia may also benefit from the comprehensive and up to date list of texture modified food and fluids, which clearly highlight what is acceptable within the different textures.

This e-Book does not cover all possible ailments associated with dysphagia; however it will provide a valuable core understanding for you to provide a higher level of care.

It is set out in an easy to follow format which benefits all levels of staff.  It is important for you to understand how to detect and manage dysphagia, as nurses are often a point of primary contact, and may first notice signs of aspiration, such as coughing after drinks. It is important that you are able to acknowledge signs and symptoms of dysphagia and have the skills to point these issues out for treatment, for both the safety and well being of the patient and the care staff.

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