DISABILITY AND AGED CARE DYSPHAGIA MANAGEMENT

What You Need to Know

This Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Education and IDDSI Mealtime Management Program aims to make your care of ageing residents, clients with a disability, friends or relatives, safer and easier. Relax knowing you have the latest education. 

Warning: Your loved one or client may be in danger every meal time…here’s the quickest and easiest way to ensure you, as a carer or care staff member know the warning signs of swallowing difficulties, and what to do about them…

Breaking SAFETY NEWS: 1/3 Of Residents In Disability and Aged Care Suffer Swallowing Difficulties…

What Will You Do If One Of Your Valued Loved One or Client Suddenly CHOKES On Their Food…And YOU or YOUR Staff MISSED All The Danger Signs?

On average humans swallow 900 times per day… anyone of those could mean trouble if they have swallowing difficulties. 

Are you or your nursing staff properly prepared to deal with it?

Subject: Here is the blunt truth about Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Education and Management …and one remarkable online education program you can access right now! 

Here are some startling facts every Carer or Disability and Aged Care Facility Director should know about swallowing difficulties…commonly known as Dysphagia:

Dysphagia occurs in as many as:

• 45% of people over the age of 75
• 33% of residents in disability and aged care 
• 66% of residents needing long-term care

And the consequences can be tragic! If you or your staff is not trained to identify the signs of Dysphagia – as well as the correct food preparation techniques – then choking, even… death, can be the end result!

Sadly, a swallowing difficulty also prevents your residents enjoying one of life’s most basic pleasures, eating. In elderly people, it can reduce their quality of life, increase falls and seriously affect their physical and emotional wellbeing.

For residents suffering from Stroke, Heart Disease, MS, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, Cancer and many other illnesses, the effects of Dysphagia can be traumatic, both physically and emotionally. Worse still, when a patient can’t eat, or eats food not properly prepared…it can even be life threatening.

We view disability and aged care education very seriously

Our responsibilities include:

• Provision of the highest possible Safe Swallowing education to all carers and disability and aged care staff
• Provision of a cost effective, easy to use, dynamic education program for those working with the ageing or in disability and aged care
• Easy accessibility to experts to answer any specific questions you may have
• Supporting compliance with Disability and Aged Care Accreditation Standards
• Support for managerial Disability and Aged Care Facility Staff
  

One Third of Residents at Risk of Choking

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 develop 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 loss of their previous capabilities, becoming malnourished, even causing aggression or falls.

It is vital all those working with the ageing and disabled populations 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.