swallow

Enjoying Every Sip and Mouthful

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 03:43:53 GMT

As the festive season approaches, regardless of our background and culture, many of us take the opportunity to catch up with family and friends.

Those occasions inevitably revolve around eating and drinking. Food cooked in our family traditions and shared with loved ones is a true highlight of the year.

For the majority of us, we see, we choose and we eat, sharing in culinary delights that transport us back to past memories.

Not all of us can share that joy. Accommodating those who join us with diabetes or are watching our waste lines can be easily done by the aware person themselves. They can choose what’s safe and wise to eat from a wide platter.

Globally the community presence of a swallowing problem, also known as Dysphagia, is up to 20%. That’s one person in 5 who is not able to freely choose what they can safely eat.

Awareness and understanding of this potentially life-threatening condition is poor.

Yet Dysphagia affects approximately 1,000,000 people in Australia alone.

Let’s see if we can shine a light on bringing a wider understanding of Dysphagia and how we can support those managing life with it.

Find out more - Take the Course

No ‘one size fits all’: is technology enough to address loneliness?

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:13:14 GMT

There are limitless benefits to the rapidly increasing use of technology across all ages. Research into high usage suggests social isolation can be an unwanted ‘side effect’.

Eleanor Campbell in Podcasts , Technology , Top Stories September 13, 2021 0 investigates technology to address loneliness in our ageing population.

Digital apps, virtual reality and other social technologies are being developed globally to aid widespread loneliness felt among older adults during and after COVID-19.

New research has looked into the unintended consequences of digital apps to solve the deficit in social connection experienced by those living in aged care facilities".

Co-author Associate Professor Jenny Waycott from the University of Melbourne said that while there are many benefits to new technologies, a person-centred approach must be taken to ease loneliness.

“You’re not always going to be able to connect people successfully. It’s not just about introducing the right technology, it’s about providing the right social context that the technology is used for,” she said. “There’s no one size fits all solution.”

Waycott joined Aged Care Insite to delve into the dangers of virtual realities, the pros and cons of keeping digitally connected and how we can tailor digital experiences to the needs of the individual.

https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2021/09/noone-size-fits-all-is-technology-enough-to-address-loneliness/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACI+BN+Email+-+13+Sep+2021&utm_content=No+%27one+size+fits+all%27%3A+is+technology+enough+to+address+loneliness%3F%2A1%2Apd%2Ate%2Aec&utm_source=apneducationalmedia.writemsg.com

Reducing Risk in Aged Care

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 06:41:24 GMT

I read an interesting article a short while ago by Nick Burnett MD Team Teach Australia & New Zealand about minimising restrictive practices and reducing risk for all in aged care, but of course this can be implemented more widely.

He points out some key discussion points around behaviours of concern and behaviours that challenge. He raised some key concepts for staff and organisations to reflect on in relation to their settings.

He then went on to share some key thinking and approaches for consideration in implementation that can be helpful and practical.

Keeping Positive

In some care settings the ratio of directive or negative comments to positive ones can be unbalanced, sometimes with four directive comments to every positive one. It takes a deliberate effort and lots of practice to reverse this damaging ratio, but the effects can be marked. Giving accurate feedback is important but there is no evidence that upsetting people has any beneficial effects. Honest feedback can be structured to keep the mood positive. The ‘PIN’ acronym stands for Positive, Interesting and Negative. It suggests the order in which feedback should be delivered. When providing feedback the carer should begin by talking about several things they like, moving on to interesting features, before finally referring to any negative aspect and suggesting how it can be improved.

He says, Team Teach always praises before prompting. Keep Smiling.

Smiling may be a good habitual behaviour to develop. Smiling triggers an automatic response in other people, causing them to smile in return. It also makes other people feel subconsciously better disposed towards the person who is smiling. It communicates confidence and openness and also stimulates the production of natural opiates and boosts the immune system.

Fear of Failure

Some people are disabled by the fear of failure, which prevents them from taking risks when they are presented with opportunities to learn new skills or form new relationships. People who have been hurt in the past when they tried something new, learn not to risk failure. Instead of feeling excited at the prospect of a new opportunity or a new relationship they experience anxiety at the threat of being hurt or humiliated once more.

Inducing Moods

People can be guided towards more positive emotional states. Guided imagery involves asking a person to remember or imagine that they are in their favourite place, or recall the best day of their lives. By mentally adding sounds, colours and smells the image can be made stronger and the feelings evoked more powerful. This exercise can bring about positive mood change, but only if the person can be persuaded to try out the exercise. Like all other forms of exercise, mental gymnastics takes effort and practice. It is not enough just to join the gym, you have to go and do some work. By practising and working on the positive image, people can create a tool to help them change the way they feel when they are under pressure.

Mood Resources

It makes sense to build up a collection of books, music and videos that put people into a good mood. If polishing up happy memories improves the way people feel then it might be a good idea to encourage people to keep photographs, audio and video recordings of positive experiences. Physical exercise is a proven method of changing the way people feel. It stimulates the production of endorphins. Just raising the arms in the air can increase the blood flow to the brain. Sometimes a change of scenery helps too. It makes sense to encourage physical exercise and invest in the equipment which encourages people to do it. People have to be encouraged to do something, rather than just sitting and wondering why they are not feeling better.

Give Attention and Build a Bridge

Carers need to suppress a natural tendency to respond to provocative behaviour. This takes effort and feels unnatural to begin with. The idea that any attention can be rewarding, including a telling off, takes some getting used to. Carers need to try to catch the moment when an individual begins to exhibit positive behaviour and give immediate positive attention. The hardest part of the process is catching what can be fleeting glimpses of positive behaviour.

Communication

Human beings cannot stop themselves from sending and receiving information and making judgments. As social animals we are programmed to continually signal and decode a wealth of information about ourselves. Whether or not we are aware that we are doing it, the fact remains that nobody has the option of opting out of this process. It happens subliminally and automatically. People can only choose whether to be careful or careless about the messages they are sending and receiving.

Tone and Quality of Voice

People who think their pets understand what they are saying may be deluding themselves, but animals do seem to be sensitive to the tone of voice. It is the sound a person makes when they speak to a dog that determines whether it wags its tail or cringes. When people are anxious, or angry, they tend to talk faster, higher and more loudly. In a crisis professionals need to deliberately speak slower, lower and more quietly.

Enabling Communication

Some people are faced with obstacles which prevent easy communication. Many settings work proactively to enable people to express themselves using a variety of signalling materials and other means. People with poor communication skills can easily become isolated. Sometimes, just sharing an activity with them might be enough, without feeling the need to direct and teach communication. But it is important to remember that a person with limited communication may have learned that the only way to influence the world is through challenging behaviour. Behaviour is a language too.

Summary

Some very practical and useful reflections and ideas for consideration in this article enables you to further minimise the use of restrictive practices and reducing risk for all in your setting.

Team Teach is very keen to further share their experience in other ‘caring’ sectors with those in the Aged Care sector and also to learn from those with deep sector knowledge to refine their training and support to enable better services to be provided. He welcomes contact.

Nick Burnett MD Team Teach Australia & New Zealand nick.burnett@teamteach.com.au

Caring for Your Loved One at Home

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 04:31:43 GMT

Hospitals offer many essential services and facilities that are useful in caring for patients, but nothing can compare with returning to our own home. Being surrounded by familiar people can aid the healing process and provide a sense of safety and reassurance.

Home-based care is a solution that can bring the care and expertise of professionals like nurses, doctors, speech pathologists, physiotherapists and doctors to a more familiar place, which greatly affects a patient’s recovery and disposition.

Definition: What is Home-Based Care?

Home-based care or home care practices, is any kind of health service that is provided in a patient’s home. This service is mostly for senior patients or those with disabilities as it is easier for them to feel comfortable. In-home services may include the following:

Help with daily activities such as dressing and bathing
Assistance with safely managing tasks around the house
Companionship
Therapy and rehabilitative services, including allied health support
Short- or long-term nursing care for an illness, disease or disability

Kinds of home-based practices

Personal care and companionship – This kind of care practice enables more independence for the patient, as it is a non-medical type of care. Company and assistance in daily tasks like dressing, household chores, and meal preparation is given. This practice is also known as assistive care. Family members can also participate in this type of practice.
Long-term nursing care – This requires a private-duty nurse to be present due to the individual having a chronic illness, injury or disability which can cause them to be bedridden. Care practices for this can include assistance with mobility, ventilator care, catheter and gastronomy care and other forms of medical care that requires professional skills.
Home health care – This kind of home-based practice requires intermittent skilled care. Patients who avail of this care usually need help with physical or occupational therapy, speech pathology or home health aide services.

“As a family member, how can I help?”

Home care is a big shift in one’s home environment. Family members can ease the big change by giving support to their loved ones and being as present as possible, as this change can cause anxiety. Assure those who need different kinds of care that you will be there every step of the way, making sure they are comfortable and well-looked after.

Thanks to Nina Alvarez for this important topic. Nothing beats the comforts that home can offer.

Why Does a Speech Pathologist Know About Swallowing?

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 02:53:40 GMT

When people ask about what speech pathology is all about, they rightly expect, from its name, that we deal with people’s speech. That’s true, we assess and treat the speech and language skills of children and adults. These skills form the foundation for learning. In children, strengthening these skills helps the development of their literacy skills. For most people that seems a fairly logical progression then, that a speech pathologist may work with a child’s or adult’s reading, spelling and writing skills.

It seems though a much larger leap to think that a speech pathologist could assess or support someone with a swallowing problem. That’s exactly what I thought when this topic was introduced in my speech pathology course at university.

There is though method in that seeming madness.

The muscles we use to speak are those same muscles that we use to swallow. In fact, swallowing is ideally co-ordinated perfectly with the entire speaking and breathing mechanism.

When we swallow the breathing mechanism pauses momentarily, to protect our airway from anything untoward entering it.

When something goes awry with those muscles or the entire swallowing mechanism, very serious consequences can result.

A speech pathologist’s expertise in this, often taken for granted, bodily function, can offer understanding and support for the client with a swallowing issue (also known as Dysphagia) and their family.

Find out more - Take the Course

Caring for the Carer

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:47:21 GMT

A survey of the country’s 2.65 million unpaid carer workforce reveals that since the most recent 2020 national survey, our carers are feeling more socially isolated and are experiencing higher levels of financial distress.

The June/July 2022 survey was completed by 6,875 Australians who care or support a family member or friend who lives with a disability, mental illness, alcohol or drug dependency, chronic condition, terminal illness or who is frail due to age.

Almost half of those who responded to the survey, 47% provided care to a loved one over 65.

Survey comparisons: 2020 to 2022

Since the last survey of June/July 2020, Australia’s carers have felt the true brunt of COVID-19, natural disasters and the rising cost of living.

The only upside has been the gradual (and now much stronger) uptake by carers seeking support of the Australian Government’s Carer Gateway . ( https://www.carergateway.gov.au ) after its launch in April 2020.

The survey compares the responses of those carers who use aged care services, disability services (NDIS) and mental health services. It is interesting to note that carers using aged care services feel more supported than those using the NDIS and mental health services.

Aged care carers call for support – help me keep paid work

However, when it comes to supporting unpaid carers looking after elderly loved ones, there’s still a way to go.

The graph below shows around 70% of the respondents did not feel supported to participate in the workforce. Apart from this, many carers have already moved out of the workforce due to age or their own personal challenges.

Also indicated was that carers did not feel strongly that their needs were being met (62%) or that they were being asked about their needs as a carer (52%).

Importance of paid work for social connectedness and financial security

Paid work is important for carers. It gives financial security and social connection. It solves the two leading issues raised in this latest survey – social isolation and financial distress.

Food for thought

As a carer, for your own mental and financial health, see if you can find ways to continue to participate in the workforce or enter it.

Whilst not always easy, try speaking to your employer about your situation and negotiate more flexible work arrangements. Also speak to family, friends and neighbours about lending a hand on a scheduled basis. If that cannot work, ask family to pitch in to pay for more in-home care.

If you need support:

Take a look at the information and resources on the Carer Gateway https://www.carergateway.gov.au
Consider the online interactive workshops available through your State or Territory’s Carers Association

Supporting all Abilities

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 02:28:33 GMT

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has celebrated its 33rd anniversary this year. Inclusive environments have come a long way over the last three decades but there is always more work to do. They are working to break persistent barriers for people with disabilities to help everyone feel like they belong.

Many department stores support the flexibility to choose where, when and how they shop by creating inclusive shopping experiences.

Businesses have a unique opportunity to help customers with disabilities access products and services designed with their needs in mind.

Some of these include:

Over the counter hearing aids and sound amplifiers so customers can find the best fit to enhance their listening experience.
Backpacks in fun patterns with straps that allow for the backpack to easily slide on and off a wheelchair handle.
Adaptive utensils to assist in an independent dining experience.

Inclusion is becoming a welcome company-wide mindset supporting associates with disabilities, launching workstreams to design inclusive shopping experiences and making accessible products easily available.

Many businesses, including my local coffee shop, have started a ‘sensory friendly hour’ to create a quieter environment that’s more enjoyable for customers who live with sensory disabilities.

We look forward to the future with new ways to bring inclusive solutions to life, so more businesses, customers and communities feel and know that they belong.

Carers – both young and not so young

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 06:02:56 GMT

A often silent population of both young and less young carers provide undeniable support for family members, friends and neighbours who are alone, without support.

In my work in family homes, aged care facilities and programs for those with disabilities, assessing and educating those affected by swallowing difficulties, I see a huge population of carers. Carers take on a huge load.

Primary school children are often providing practical and emotional support for those family members who struggle to manage on their own. I see neighbours willing to pop in next door with meals, clean washing, a vacuum and mop, to help out someone who’s struggling.

Unbelievably 235,000 young people are in this role, often balancing schoolwork and challenging home caring responsibilities. It’s vital that the carers are also supported in their own health, well-being, schooling, pathways to employment and the ability to socialise with friends.

National Carers Week 2023 aims to shine a light on the invaluable contributions of young carers and the support available to them through the Carer Gateway. More information is available at www.carergateway.gov.au .

Maintaining Social Connections for All

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 06:36:07 GMT

As September, Dementia month, draws to a close, my thoughts return to those living with dementia.

Just this morning I spoke to a support worker who has an 81 year old client who has always been physically robust. Whilst he is living with dementia, he has been in excellent health for a long time.

A sudden turn of events has changed all that. He had a fall several days ago and simply cannot continue to be looked after at home. Even though his wife is more than willing to support him in all ways possible, physically she struggled.

He's now in an aged care facility with his devoted wife visiting daily. Of course, she’s wrapped in all sorts of feelings of guilt that she ‘should’ have been able to care for him at home. I think we can all identify with those feelings.

I spoke to the carer this morning. She too had all sorts of mixed feelings about this gentleman – immense sorrow that his situation had changed so suddenly; the ripple effect that his fall has set in motion, with his swallowing now deteriorating; sadness for his wife who feels she has let her husband down; reluctantly embarking on a slippery slope for this couple … and the list goes on.

She and I light-heartedly suggested, in addition to educating about swallowing safety, counselling support, not only for the client but also their family and those carers involved with them could be part of my role.

Read a personal story of how important maintaining social connections is for everyone.

https://healthcarechannel.co/maintaining-social-connections-for-our-elders-living-with-dementia/?utm_campaign=Healthcare%20Channel%20Newsletters&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=275167930&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9xOf9G2tW3GPyNztUK257gANJCeJMnoIIaAyseRlYz7nlwlt_mB5995pSNbKZnEtD_Hwws_Z0lcH_sjHgAoCwPSz1wS32uGmtXGfXfmCNi8mperG8&utm_content=275167930&utm_source=hs_email

Taking a Looooong Time to Finish a Meal?

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:50:31 GMT

I recently visited a lady whom the staff said was refusing to eat. She had been diagnosed with Dementia and was rapidly losing weight. Sadly, she had already lost the ability to communicate verbally by the time I saw her.

She was a beautiful, gentle soul trapped by her declining state.

We sat together with her lunchtime meal. Although she was silent, I sensed she was well aware of her surroundings and open to any help offered to her. She did not strike me as someone who was defiant nor unwilling to accept some guidance about her eating. She wanted to finish every meal.

As I began the feeding portion of the assessment, I paced her mouthfuls of food with the visible signs of her swallow, such as chewing, movement of her larynx, eye contact etc

As I had been advised by the staff, she refused the next mouthful I offered her. She clenched her jaw tightly, maintaining perfect eye contact throughout.

She wasn’t being defiant. Nor had she lost the ability to eat or drink. She was actually still swallowing the previous mouthful, taking time to move the food into position at the back of her mouth, in order to swallow it.

I paused, letting her know that I understood what was going on. ‘You’re still swallowing the last mouthful, aren’t you.’ I said. A look of relief and appreciation spread over her face.

We spent 2 hours together over that lunchtime meal. I gave her time to eat and drink according to her abilities.

Staff don’t have that luxury of time. However, time is often what these residents need.

Fortunately once the situation was explained to the nurse manager, we could put in place supports that enabled this gorgeous lady to eat and enjoy her meals, maintain her nutrition and gain weight.

Learn more Take the Course

Enhanced Health and Wellbeing

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 05:56:53 GMT

The most recent Aged Care Notes sites an interesting article on health and nutrition that not only applies to our elders but to our disability sector as well. Many, at home and in care, residents experience difficulty eating and drinking a ‘normal’ diet. Their satisfaction of this basic human function cannot be overlooked.

This article from the team at MOA exploring insights, observations, statistics, data, findings & future directions associated with food, catering, dining experience... This remains a vital area for older people's heath & wellbeing as well as service providers accreditation, reputation, star rating & so much more. Food can make such a difference - in so many ways!

Read the article

Empowering healthcare workforce for quality care across Australia

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 02:54:08 GMT

In a significant move toward improving the nation’s healthcare system, the Albanese Government has introduced a new initiative aimed at maximising the potential of healthcare professionals.

“Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Review” seeks to empower healthcare practitioners to deliver top-notch care across the board.

Derived from recommendations put forth by the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce, the review has a clear mission: to explore innovative ways in which healthcare professionals can utilise their full skill sets.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that every Australian, regardless of their location, has access to high-quality healthcare services.

This initiative is particularly promising for individuals residing in rural, remote, and underserved areas, as the review’s outcomes are expected to bridge gaps in healthcare accessibility and equity across communities.

Steering this crucial undertaking is the accomplished Professor Mark Cormack, a veteran in the healthcare field. With a wealth of experience spanning various healthcare roles, Professor Cormack’s leadership promises a comprehensive and insightful review.

Collaboration will be at the heart of this endeavour, as the review is set to involve extensive engagement with stakeholders from different states and territories. The aim is to finalise the review by the middle of 2024, with updates and findings shared periodically to ensure transparency and progress.

Professor Cormack’s deep understanding of healthcare dynamics, derived from his diverse roles, including executive positions and teaching, uniquely positions him to guide this endeavour toward success.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting healthcare workers in delivering their best efforts. He said, “The review will focus on the immediate benefits of supporting more quality service delivery in, and greater accessibility to primary care which will benefit all Australians.”

The scope of this review encompasses not only medical practitioners but also other healthcare professionals like pharmacists, as a cohesive team effort is deemed vital for a comprehensive healthcare enhancement strategy.

https://healthcarechannel.co/empowering-healthcare-workforce-for-quality-care-across-australia/?utm_campaign=Healthcare%20Channel%20Newsletters&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=271539010&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9_bEQNeWtr3JPJZgQMhSH0wESu8DB-jUMuMVeO-_csc3mrQ29LV29Y4k0EOaTbAcf7AWoe-g7tGQfL5nFRQU2ITbngoThAmfYHD-f2goh66gM9YhU&utm_content=271539010&utm_source=hs_email

A Look at Dementia

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 05:33:27 GMT

If you haven't seen this short film from 2018, I highly recommend you spend the time & then share it with colleagues, family members & friends. The simple synopsis reads - "Two people find comfort in one another after striking up a conversation at a bus stop". But it is far more than this and has a real emotional and educational message for such a relatively short run time (under 4 mins).

Watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuRHHmXbzYs

Looking after Everyone, including Yourself

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:02:50 GMT

Julie Bajic Smith is a well-known psychologist, an experienced researcher and a published writer. In her doctorate research she examined wellbeing in home care workers and her post doctoral research focused on supported decision-making in dementia.

She is more than aware of not only the client’s needs but the of the carer or health care professional as well. Below, she raises some important issues.

Reference Dr Julie Bajic Smith, Wise Care https://www.wisecare.com.au

“As a busy professional, I know how challenging it can be to prioritise self-care. Some days we may feel like we do not even have five minutes to ourselves, and those days we have more free time we can easily let the day slip away without putting much thought into our own needs.

The Jean Hailes' National Women’s Health Survey is an annual national study designed to help us better understand the health information needs and behaviours of women living in Australia. The findings from the survey reported that less than 20 per cent participants found time each day for themselves. This statistic is quite alarming.

Another publication suggests highlighting seven pillars of self-care which include: knowledge and health literacy, mental wellbeing, physical activity, healthy eating, risk avoidance, good hygiene and rational and responsible use of self-care products and services. But, how do we measure our own self-care against those pillars?

When I think about self-care, I think about four aspects. This is helpful when we think about our own self-care and those of our elders

Physical
Emotional
Mental
Spiritual

And then in relation to each aspect, I recommend asking yourself questions.

What currently energises me?
What saps my energy?
What would help to energise me more?
What holds me back from doing things that would help to energise me more?

Some examples of what you might enter into each answer may include

Physically: eating, drinking, sleeping, exercise, breaks and relaxation
Emotionally: relationships, intimacy, empathy, processing emotions, balance and safety
Mentally: time management, creativity, thinking skills, challenge, mental preparation and reflection
Spiritually: commitment, values, a deeper purpose, prayer/meditation, giving to others, nature and stillness.

I have found this approach to be so helpful in my own life.”

Dr Julie Bajic Smith, psychologist https://www.wisecare.com.au

Love me, Love my Pet

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 06:00:07 GMT

I love how pet owners have such passion for their furry friends. I live in a suburb where dogs and their owners are part and parcel of the neighbourhood. The café owners love the dogs almost as much as their non-furry customers. Pets view their owners with such awe and unconditional love.

As a speech pathologist, I never imagined that pets may play an important role in helping those who have aphasia – different to dysphagia (a swallowing problem).

Aphasia affects the ability to comprehend and communicate in verbal and/or written language. It is a highly frustrating condition where more often than not, the person affected, knows what they want to say but is hampered in doing so.

Charlotte Mitchard, a University of South Australia student researcher, has conducted a study that reveals that pets play a significant role in enhancing the emotional and social aspects of the lives of those affected. From bolstering confidence in social situations to providing much-needed companionship during low moments, pets offer a source of solace and support. Not surprisingly, many participants expressed sentiments such as, “My pet doesn’t care if I can’t talk properly; they love me anyway.”

Read more about this valuable research at:

https://healthcarechannel.co/pets-show-promise-in-improving-communication-and-well-being-for-people-…

IDDSI and Safety

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 10:52:49 GMT

The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) has worked tirelessly to improve the safety of those with Dysphagia. Congratulations to the large group of staff and even larger group of volunteers who have spread this life saving initiative across the corners of the world.

As a practising speech pathologist for over 30 years, in the disability and aged care space, it was often a challenge to convey information about the, sometimes very minor dietary changes to a resident’s diet or fluids, that kept them safe yet maintained a diet as close to their preferences as possible.

Many a time, a resident perhaps only required that their fluids were modified very slightly, perhaps to ‘slightly thick’. Achieving consistency amongst all kitchen and food staff was often challenging with fluids ‘ending up’ thicker than desired.

The IDDSI standards and testing methods provide a sure-safe way of accurately providing safety and consistency for the resident. Staff too, can feel confident and relaxed that they are always providing a safe meal or snack. This confidence flows onto the resident’s family who has increased trust in those caring for their loved one.

Certainly, a win all round! Congratulations IDDSI.

At Home Care – A Benefit for All

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 02:52:37 GMT

The Australian healthcare system for our ageing and disability populations are on an expanding trajectory, as Australia’s population continues to grow and age with little sign of reversing. With this, there is an urgent need for at-home care, to take the pressure off hospitals and doctors along with making healthcare easier to access.

In order to build and test the technology such as online training, app-based services etc, it should be a top priority to strengthen and expand health-tech partnerships through increased time and monetary investments. Hospitals can partner with health-tech companies to combine their expertise in technology with the health systems’ care-delivery, where they can also look to pilot and rapidly scale home-care models. These models need to be established and developed closely with patients and policy-makers to ensure the effective reimbursement of home healthcare services. For instance, value-based care models would be an ideal starting point for such partnerships. Further, the upskilling of doctors, nurses and health providers is critical to ensure the effective service and delivery of the future of healthcare.

Ultimately, at home health care does more than just service the patient – it reduces the demand on hospital inpatient and outpatient services, frees up GPs and community nurses and overall reduces the demand on our increasingly thinly spread healthcare system.

Australia is in a position to accelerate the development and uptake of home care. As the necessity for at home care is evaluated by government, providers and patients, it becomes apparent that the longer we wait to employ this game-changing healthcare solution, the further behind we put the future of healthcare in Australia.

At home care will be a key form of healthcare going forward for Australians. With the potential to reshape how we receive healthcare, as well as significantly freeing up our health sector, which is often stretched to its limits. By working in close collaboration with policymakers, patients, health professionals, health providers, tech providers and investors, we have the collective knowledge to contribute to improving our healthcare offerings and make at-home care a practical option across our society.

Reference: Rob Marchiori

Healthcare channel Full article

https://healthcarechannel.co/at-home-care-reshaping-the-future-of-health-care/?utm_campaign=Healthca…

Ritchelle Drilon from Healthcare writes of Life Changing Peer Support for those in Regional Areas

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 03:38:38 GMT

For people living with disabilities, access to support services such as peer support is vital in maintaining mental well-being. Yet there is a considerable gap in the available support services in regions compared to metropolitan areas in Australia.

To ensure individuals with disabilities in regional areas have access to peer support, which sees people with lived experience provide essential mentorship and guidance, Spinal Life Australia is launching a tax appeal campaign focusing on extending its peer support services to regional communities.

Research reveals that around one in six (18%) Australians, or around 4.4 million, live with a disability. Of this group, the vast majority (77%) live with a physical disability. Whether a person was born with their disability or acquired it later in life, having access to peer support, from someone with a similar lived experience, not only helps people with disabilities come to terms with their condition, but also helps them to learn how to navigate their lives with the assistance of someone who can relate to them.

Spinal Life Australia has long been dedicated to empowering individuals with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities to live fulfilling lives. Recognising the importance of peer support in helping regain their independence, the organisation aims to extend these invaluable services to regional communities where they are often limited or nonexistent.

Mark Townend, CEO of Spinal Life Australia, said peer support services for people living with disabilities should not be limited to those who live in major cities and metropolitan areas. He said extending such support to regional Australia is a major priority.

“We firmly believe that everyone, regardless of their location, deserves access to peer support programs. It is a powerful tool that fosters connections, promotes personal growth, and provides a sense of belonging. Through our tax appeal campaign, we aim to bridge the gap and bring these crucial services to regional areas, empowering individuals with disabilities to thrive.

“We are incredibly grateful to our supporters who have been instrumental in helping us bring our vision to life. With your generous contributions, we can make a real difference in the lives of individuals living with disabilities, as this will give us the resources to help train more staff, allowing us to expand our reach to regional areas and ensuring that peer support services are accessible to all who need them,” he said.

Peer support plays a critical role in improving the lives of people living with disabilities, as it allows them to connect with others who have had similar experiences, challenges, and triumphs, and ultimately helps them to adjust to their new normal.

By sharing knowledge, insights, and encouragement, peer support provides a valuable support network that can positively impact mental well-being, self-confidence and overall quality of life.

This end of Financial Year, Spinal Life Australia seeks to secure additional funding to expand its reach and establish peer support groups in regional communities, ensuring that no one feels isolated or alone in their journey towards independence, and is encouraging Aussie individuals and organisations to make tax-deductible donations to support the cause. For more information about the tax appeal campaign and how to contribute, please visit www.spinal.com.au .

Enhancing palliative care and empowering nurse practitioners

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 02:39:22 GMT

As Palliative Week comes to close, the Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan receives positive news from the Australian Government regarding the palliative care sector.

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) welcomes this development, emphasising the need to empower nurse practitioners (NPs) and integrate comprehensive palliative care training into their scope of practice.

“Supporting NPs to work to their full scope of practice, and properly funding their work under the Medicare Benefits Schedule is a positive step,” Rowland said.

Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, aligns with the vision of NPs to provide clinical care for acute and chronic conditions across a lifespan. The next crucial step is to ensure that nurse practitioners and other primary healthcare providers receive specialised training in palliative care.

“Nurse practitioners and primary health are key to increasing access to palliative care, that’s something we are highlighting during National Palliative Care Week and are delighted that Minister Kearney will launch the week for us tonight (22 May) at Parliament House.

“The Australian Government funds a range of well-regarded palliative care training programs, and we have been talking with the Minister about how these opportunities can reach primary health and aged care professionals – this is so important to meeting the need we see now and in the future,” Rowland added.

During National Palliative Care Week, Palliative Care Australia highlights the role of nurse practitioners and primary healthcare providers in improving access to palliative care. They emphasise the importance of reaching out to primary health and aged care professionals and engaging them in well-regarded palliative care training programs already funded by the Australian Government.

Source: An article by Ritchelle Drilon, Content Producer for Healthcare Channel https://healthcarechannel.co/enhancing-palliative-care-and-empowering-nurse-practitioners/

Thank you.

The latest on NDIS

Fri, 26 May 2023 04:07:44 GMT

On April 19, this year Minister for the NDIS, the Hon Bill Shorten was joined by NSW Minister for Disability Inclusion, the Hon Kate Washington at the National Press Club.

Quoted from Emily Caska, CEO Down Syndrome NSW

In his “state of the union” address, Minister Shorten affirmed his personal pledge that the NDIS is here to stay, though not without a need to get it back on track, with a number of quick wins achieved in this respect.

Looking to the future, six key areas of systemic reform were outlined with the aim of delivering better outcomes and ongoing sustainability, namely:

Lifting the capability, skills and specialisation of the NDIA Workforce, including greater oversight of core functions to ensure better outcomes,
Adopting a long term planning approach with appropriate checks along the way,
Eliminating unethical practices and misuse of the NDIS, beyond criminal syndicates to include untrustworthy providers,
Addressing spiralling expenses, inefficiencies, overcharging and incentive based outcomes to reduce support over time where possible,
Increasing community and mainstream supports through investment and better commitment from the states,
Improving housing and accommodation, with a focus on Supported Independent Living, to deliver better options, outcomes, quality and safety.

Where I think further improvements can be made, in addition to this on-the-money list are:

participant pathways and continuity of support,
navigation both within and outside the NDIS including tier two,
the important role of siblings,
equity in funding and outcomes,
thin market considerations for regional, rural and remote communities,
workforce quality and growth to meet demand,
considerations of group pricing models and benefits,
efficient procurement and distribution of assistive technology and aids,
building the capacity of the sector with a focus on NGO’s,
critical role of advocacy organisations,
future planning including estates,
employment support and skills development.

Many of these are on the reform agenda in addition to the big six above.

In the tenth year of the NDIS, with one hand we raise a glass (or maybe a finger, depending on your experience), on the other hand we roll up our sleeve. Maybe not to the Braveheart levels of our Every Australian Counts Campaign, but requiring cohesive effort and a sprinkle of optimism nonetheless. We all have a role to play, stories to share, ideas worth igniting, failures not to be feared.

What may feel like déjà vu to some, to me feels like an opportunity to finally get this revolutionary thing called the NDIS right.

If not the NDIS, what?

So, NDIS 2.0 - let’s go!

Full commentary from https://lnkd.in/gANeQ66p

DANCE NOT DEMENTIA

Fri, 12 May 2023 03:05:53 GMT

Introducing a brand-new film project from filmmaker Anthony Grani, presented by Canada’s National Ballet School, capturing the extraordinary stories and experiences of dancers living with dementia and their carers.

Witness the impact of dance through the eyes of residents and staff of Alexis Lodge Dementia Care Residence and Cedarhurst Dementia Care Home, as well as through experts in the health and arts spaces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHIh4bFvmIk

Find out more about the project: https://www.nbs-enb.ca/resources/comm...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IDDSI

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 03:36:15 GMT

It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) was founded. They have played a pivotal role in the standardisation of food and fluid modifications for those affected by a swallowing difficulty.

Having worked in the aged care and disability sectors since the 1980’s, having a standard that can be easily followed by carers, is a massive relief, for the safety of our clients. The IDDSI also empowers those carers to feel comfortable and assured that they are offering food and fluids that are safe for their clients.

Of course, the level of food and fluid modification needs to be established by a qualified speech pathologist, but once established, the recommendations can easily be adhered to.

How it all started:

In 2013 a group of passionate volunteers came together with a goal of developing new international standardised terminology and definitions to describe texture modified foods and thickened liquids used for individuals with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) of all ages, in all care settings and in all cultures.

After 3 years of work based on evidence and global feedback, the IDDSI Framework evolved and was released in 2016 and published in 2017. Feedback from the global community led the IDDSI Board of Directors to revisit and update the framework to the current IDDSI Framework (published 2019) which incorporates Level 7 Easy to Chew. Framework descriptors for each level were developed and supported by simple measurement methods (testing methods) that could be used by people with dysphagia or by caregivers, clinicians, food service professionals or industry to confirm the level a food or drink fits into.

Current IDDSI Framework completed and published 2019

Key messages about the IDDSI Framework

Descriptive NOT Prescriptive.

The IDDSI Framework and documents should be viewed as providing a standard way of describing and testing food textures and drink thickness commonly used for individuals with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.

It should not be viewed as a prescribed diet.

We at Safe Swallowing Education wish IDDSI a very happy birthday and congratulate them on the achievement of their goal, spreading this valuable standard worldwide.

Reference https://www.iddsi.org

Life Saving Education Could Not Be More Important In The Current Environment

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 02:29:55 GMT

Danielle Robertson ( https://www.drcaresolutions.com/blog ) reported on a current challenge in the aged care sector.

Within a year, Wesley Mission has exited residential aged care after 95 years of providing residential aged care services. This is a sad indictment of the times.

Wesley Mission has always been a small operator, at its peak operating four residential aged care facilities in the Sydney region. The first closure occurred in June 2022 and the aim is to close the remaining three by May 2023. In total, 283 residential aged care beds will be lost.

This is just one example of smaller not-for-profit operators leaving the residential aged care sector. There are plenty of others who have closed or are planning to close.

Research released in January 2023 by the accounting firm, Stewart Brown, found that of the 1,138 residential aged care homes (92,312 beds) surveyed annually, 63% operated at a loss. The figure grew from 60% operating at a loss as at December 2021.

The firm expects 30 to 50 closures in the next 18 months. With the average home providing 70 beds, this will see the loss of 2,100 to 3,500 beds.

Why are they closing? Put simply, their financial position is unsustainable.

Why are they financially unsustainable? The 2019 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety reforms adopted by the Commonwealth Government are proving to be too costly for smaller and regional operators to implement. Compliance issues, workforce issues and the pressures constantly on governance to run these homes are just a few of the issues.

No aged care workforce

The major issue is finding the aged care nurses and workers needed to provide the level of quality, safe care expected in residential aged care homes.

As of 1 July 2023, residential aged care homes must have a registered nurse onsite 24/7.
From 1 October 2023, residential aged care homes must provide 200 care minutes per day per resident, of which 40 minutes must be provided by nurses.

These are admirable reforms but when you come to understand that we currently do not have the nursing and carer workforce to provide these hours of care, the timetable for their implementation is unrealistic.

Australian College of Nursing Chief Executive, Kylie Ward, sees the 1 July deadline as impossible. She warns that “we can’t staff the Australian nursing workforce today, tonight or tomorrow” and cites that “Australia is currently in need of 12,000 registered nurses”. [4]

Information source – Danielle Robertson https://www.drcaresolutions.com/blog

As further residential aged care homes struggle, education on safe swallowing – something residents are involved in at least 5 times a day – becomes even more vital. Retaining the staff they have, means those staff need to feel supported. They need to feel that their employer understands the potential stress involved in managing a resident with Dysphagia … and they need the skills and strategies to best support these residents.

Find out more Take the Course

Intergenerational Care

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 03:17:34 GMT

A wonderful concept is beginning to evolve within the Australian aged care landscape. We are starting to see some programs that join our elders with our youth…. to the great benefit of both. The Herd, who believe that children flourish when they feel a strong sense of connection to self, others and nature, is one such program.

The Herd childcare centre in Mornington, Victoria joins these two generations to facilitate children’s innate exploratory drive with an understanding that the more curious they are, the more they will learn. They provide children with enriching experiences and an intriguing environment, supporting them to be lifelong learners. They value the provision of opportunities for children to learn to participate fully and actively in society with young and older.

They represent a foundational belief that all children have the right to an inclusive environment in which they can participate and succeed, regardless of diverse circumstances, age and abilities. They reinforce collaborative relationships with all generations with families as fundamental to achieving quality outcomes for children.

The journey of The Herd began almost 4 years ago when we watched a moving documentary on an intergenerational care centre in Seattle. At this achingly beautiful centre, an aged care home shares the same roof as a childcare centre. It made them laugh and cry as they watched the loving and life-giving interactions between the little ones and older residents. They were so moved by the documentary that the very next day, they began a journey to bring this model of intergenerational care to Australia.

Find out more about the passion of these two sisters and their vision at https://www.theherdilc.com.au/

After a Stroke – What’s next - General 'living well tips', unrelated to Dysphagia

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 03:58:27 GMT

i-REBOUND, an online resource portal co-designed by people living with stroke with researchers from HMRI and the University of Newcastle, is offering specialised support on the journey to stroke recovery.

Professor Coralie English and stroke survivor partner Meredith Burke have launched the program i-REBOUND developed in partnership with The Stroke Foundation to provide people who have had stroke access to expert, purpose-designed resources – helping them to eat well and move more.

Professor English, a member of the HMRI Heart and Stroke Research Program said i-REBOUND was the first step in what she hoped would become usual care for people to live well after a stroke.

“While there are plenty of programs that fit broadly under the banner of ‘stroke rehab’, this is the first website that focuses specifically on supporting people with stroke to eat well and move more to reduce the risk of a second stroke. There are no other websites that have exercise videos for people to follow that feature real people with stroke exercising for fitness, or recipes that are designed for people with stroke to follow, including a range of hints and hacks for cooking and eating well, one-handed.

“We want doctors and therapists to direct their patients to this resource and, with the right support and funding, we want to translate it into multiple languages and ensure that it is culturally appropriate for a wide range of people.

“Our ultimate goal is to offer individualised support to people recovering from stroke to encourage healthy living in a sustainable way,” she said.

The program was co-designed by people with stroke, for people with stroke, with varying degrees of disability, including some who live with aphasia (language difficulty caused by stroke). The resource features recipes, videos of exercise routines and hints and tips featuring people with stroke.

Burke who co-chaired the Consumer Advisory Committee of people with lived experience of stroke said every person deserved to lead a meaningful life after stroke, and that looked different for each person.

“Stroke doesn’t define us, but we do need a little bit more help along the way. The things we eat and the way we move our bodies form part of the launch pad to that life.

“I became involved in this project as there was a respectful relationship created with researchers and I before the research began. Exercise and nutrition are passions of mine, so the project was a good fit. Developing the research has been challenging and very rewarding. The best part was the shared power dynamic between researchers and consumers with genuine mutual respect,” said Burke.

Professor English and her team, including PhD scholar Dina Pogrenbenoy, are seeking 50 people with stroke to help refine the site. Participants must live in Australia and be over the age of 18 years.

The final site launched in November 2022, following community consultation.

https://irebound.enableme.org.au/ ;

Source: Hunter Medical Research Institute media release September 2022.

From The Journal of Geriatrics - A New Simple Screening Tool—4QT: Can It Identify Those with Swallowing Problems? A Pilot Study

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 04:37:48 GMT

Excerpt …“As people and the population age, the prevalence of swallowing problems (dysphagia) increases. The screening for dysphagia is considered good practice in stroke care, yet is not routinely undertaken in the management of frail older adults. A short swallow screen, the 4QT, was developed following a review of the literature. The screen has four questions relating to swallowing that can be asked by a member of the health care team. A convenience sample of 48 older frail patients on an acute frailty ward was recruited into a Quality Improvement project. Their swallow was screened using the EAT-10 and 4QT. A speech and language therapist assessed for the presence of dysphagia using a standardised assessment for dysphagia.

The 4QT has 100% sensitivity, 80.4% specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) 50%, negative predictive value (NPV) 100%. The 4QT is a highly sensitive but not specific swallow screen, only 50% of people reporting swallowing problems were confirmed to have a degree of dysphagia by the SLT. The 4QT is a simple screening tool that could be used by all staff, but requires further research/evaluation before it is widely accepted into clinical practice.

Society is ageing due to more people surviving into adulthood and subsequently living longer. The older population is increasing and in many western populations >15% of the population are >65 years of age, Japan is particularly affected with an older population (>65 years) of 27%.

The number of very old people (>85 years) is showing the largest increase in percentage growth, 5% of the European population is >85 years of age. Thirty percent (1.5% of the European population) of very old people are frail (vulnerable or older people with health-related disability, dependency and who have little or no physiological reserve). Frail older people often have complex, multiple long-term conditions and frequently require multiple medications which may be dose and time dependent.

The presence of dysphagia in the older population will vary depending upon the social/clinical setting and any underlying comorbidity. Of older people living alone in the community, 15% are reported to have dysphagia and this prevalence increases with age, presence of frailty, dementia, stroke, and temporarily in acute illness. Carrion et al. found that 47.4% of older people ≥70 years admitted to an acute geriatric unit in Spain had oropharyngeal dysphagia on assessment.” End of Excerpt

This snapshot into Dysphagia in the elderly population in general, highlights the immediate need of Dysphagia training in our healthcare staff. Join Principal Speech Pathologist, Barbara Braithwaite as she imparts her 40+ years of experience in Dysphagia and its mealtime management strategies in our Safe Swallowing Education Course.

Take the Course

SWALLOWING AWARENESS DAY MARCH 16, 2023

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 03:36:45 GMT

Like breathing, swallowing is essential to everyday life. According to Speech Pathology Australia, the speech pathologists’ peak body, humans swallow between 500-700 times a day, around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals.

“We trust that food, drink, saliva and medicine will pass through our mouth, throat and oesophagus and arrive safely in our stomach.

“Yet, for an average of around eight percent of the population , this simple act is a problem because food and drink travel into their lungs and causes chest infections like pneumonia. Sometimes this problem is so severe that regular food and drink can become a life-threatening choking risk.”

While Australians are alert to the choking risks for small children, few know the danger of choking on food is seven times greater for people aged over 65 years than those aged 1-4 years.

A significant proportion (16-22%) of Australians over the age of 50 years experience dysphagia (difficulty swallowing, either solids and/or liquids). Dysphagia can be caused by a number of age-related health conditions including stroke, Parkinson's disease, dementia as well as a consequence of ageing.

That amounts to around one million Australians having a swallowing difficulty. Swallowing problems can occur at any stage of life. However, the knowledge of dysphagia and its implications remain largely unknown for most Australians.

Swallowing difficulty (Dysphagia) is any problem with sucking, swallowing, drinking, chewing, eating, controlling saliva, taking medication, or protecting the lungs from food and drink ‘going the wrong way’. It can be a problem with keeping the lips closed so that food, liquid or saliva doesn’t dribble out.

Sometimes, the first sign of a swallowing problem is coughing, gagging or choking when eating and drinking. Swallowing problems can mean food, drinks or saliva gets into the lungs and this can cause lung infections (pneumonia). Reflux is a problem where the valve in the oesophagus causes the contents of the stomach (like food, drink or stomach acid) to come back up, sometimes reaching as far up as the throat and mouth.

According to Speech Pathology Australia, 50 percent of stroke survivors and 84 percent of people with dementia experience dysphagia. Sixty-nine per cent of people with Parkinson’s disease will have swallowing difficulties, as will 25 per cent of patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Chewing and swallowing problems affect 30-50 percent of residents in aged-care facilities, with choking being the second-highest cause of preventable death.

The NSW Ombudsman’s Reports into reviewable deaths of people with disability in residential care (2012–2013 and 2014–2017) indicate that improving identification and management of swallowing risks, and better communication about food textures that are safe for people with dysphagia are some of the keys to preventable choking deaths.

Dr Chichero , Honorary Senior Fellow, Queensland University, says speech pathologists are often the professionals who assess and manage dysphagia.

“To keep Australians with swallowing problems safe, food and drinks are often changed so that they are easier and safer for swallowing,” she adds.

“Based on a clinical assessment by a speech pathologist, foods are chopped, minced or pureed and drinks are thickened.”

From 1 May 2019, new guidelines were introduced in Australia to standardise the names and descriptions of food and drink used in medical and community settings to reduce choking risk.

The new guidelines include easily accessible testing methods that allow consumers, health professionals, nursing homes and hospitals to check that the food or drink they are serving is suitable for older Australians with swallowing difficulties.

The guidelines have been developed by The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), which Speech Pathology Australia is actively supporting.

If you would like to find out how to better understand and safely manage dysphagia Take the Course

Why I Love My Job

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:01:46 GMT

The word ‘job’ seems to arouse mixed feelings in many employees. To me, there seems to be an implication that a job is something you don’t necessarily like, but for a variety of reasons, you simply must do.

I know people in that situation. No doubt, you do too. Perhaps you’re one of them! My heart goes out to those who find themselves employed in a job that that’s unsatisfying.

I’m so glad that, in no way, describes how I feel about what I do.

This week, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to a number of aged care nurses and disability staff and carers who’ve taken our Safe Swallowing Education Course. My gosh what a fantastic bunch of people they are!

One, whilst chatting to me, was looking after her young grandson whom I could hear happily babbling in the background. It was evident both were relishing the day together. Another was surrounded by and caught up in the contagion of the laughter of colleagues in the background.

Over-worked, under immense pressure – both without a doubt, but exuding patience, kindness, fun, love, not letting the former that take over their lives.

Theirs is a complex task of not only looking after the resident or client, ensuring the absolute best care for them. They also need to be mindful that the resident’s relatives can also be in a stressed state with mixed emotions about the care of their loved one – worry, relief, guilt, sadness, loss – so many emotions.

Our role is to ensure everyone involved in the care of those who need it are supported. Being confident in dealing safely with mealtimes which occur at least 5 times a day, is at the forefront to the education we offer.

Thank you all so much for the wonderful work you do. Please keep looking after yourselves as well.

Take the Course

We Can’t Know What We Don’t Know

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 03:49:48 GMT

Working for over 40 years in aged care facilities and with our population with a disability - seeing literally hundreds of residents and the staff who care for them is an absolute honour. Ensuring each resident we see is safe and comfortable eating a diet that is as closely akin to the food they have enjoyed their whole life is a great privilege.

Equally satisfying in my role is to empower nursing and care staff to continue to provide the utmost care and attention to each and every resident they look after. That’s not always an easy task. Most days staff are faced with too many tasks needing to be completed in too few hours.

We have recently had a number of businesses comment on their staff's appreciation of the depth of our Course coming from 40 years of experience in this area. With swallowing issues being in the top 3 causes of death in our elderly and disabled populations, and residents eating and/or drinking at least 5 times a day, in depth, empowering education is our goal.

We know staff turnover is an issue in the care industry and have found that happier, more confident staff leads to happier clients who can enjoy eating and drinking safely. Their relatives can be confident that safety is, of course, a top priority. We're keen to support businesses' goals of providing quality education underlying this goal to help with staff retention.

None of us knows what we don’t know. Taking tailored education aimed at providing, in the most convenient and cost-effective form, information staff may not already know or that may have become buried amongst all the other things they need to know, is an easy course of action. Don’t let a tiny time investment stand in the way of continuing to offer the best care. Swallowing safety is a basic right for all residents.

Organize Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Education for your facility or business. Discounts apply for larger staff numbers.

T ake the Course

Something Seemingly Little Can Make a Big Difference

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:25:17 GMT

Just this week I chatted to a nurse who had just begun our Safe Swallowing Education Course. She had only done the first small section of the Course but had applied what she’d learnt to a dementia ward mealtime.

One resident was so distracted that she could not be convinced to shift from the couch to the dining table to eat. Another resident couldn’t properly focus on his meal because he kept turning around, away from his food.

The nurse connected the dots and remembered something she had learnt in our Course and, relaying this knowledge to the other staff and applying it, immediately allowed the first resident to easily be assisted to move to her meal and the other to safely focus on eating.

Both staff and residents relaxed, happy and nourished.

I LOVE hearing these stories. A small adjustment benefiting what is a common, and can become a very difficult, situation. Well done to that nurse.

Take the Course

Lost in Translation

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 07:09:45 GMT

A number of years ago now, as a native English speaker, I started learning Cantonese. I thought I may have an advantage being a speech pathologist having studied the way language and speech develops and the analysis of it.

I couldn’t have been further from the truth! Cantonese, like some other languages, rely very heavily on tones that can completely change the meaning of a word. A word may have the same pronunciation as another word but if the tone (almost like the high or low or rising or lowering of a note in music) is changed, you have a totally different word.

English doesn’t use tones to choose a word that conveyed my desired meaning, so I was not at all tuned into these subtle differences speaking in Cantonese. I often struggled to even distinguish the difference between two words that, to me sounded the same, but in fact were being said with different tones.

Even now, after several years of struggling to communicate in Cantonese, I realise that I may well be completely misunderstanding what another person is talking about. In fact, if a native Cantonese speaker is listening to our conversation and asks what I think the topic of conversation is, they are often completely bemused and amused!, at the discrepancy between what I think we’re talking about and the actual content of the conversation.

All this to say - reading or hearing something in your native language drastically reduces the chances of a misunderstanding. This could not be more important in supporting those with swallowing issues.

The IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) has translated the following resources into a large number of languages other than English, to help support those caring for or with a swallowing difficulty.

Please find links below to help you access them.

IDDSI Levels

https://iddsi.org/Translations/Available-Translations

IDDSI Posters

https://iddsi.org/Resources/Posters

Advocacy Posters

https://iddsi.org/United-States

Testing Cards

https://iddsi.org/Resources/Testing-Cards

Asian Rice Porridge

https://iddsi.org/News/Special-Features/Rice-Porridge

BENEFITS TO BUSINESSES FROM OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN DYSPHAGIA

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 05:35:24 GMT

As an employer of aged care and disability staff and carers, how would it benefit you if 40 years of experience could accompany each of your staff in their caring role? What if that vital, lifesaving knowledge could accompany each of your staff in their daily tasks?

Certainly, the residents in your care would be safer and more comfortable in eating, drinking and taking their medicines. Their risk of choking or developing aspiration pneumonia due to an unrecognized swallowing issue, would be reduced. Of course, your duty of care and compliance for accreditation would also be covered.

But what about your staff?

Do they view you as an ‘Employer of Choice’?

Do they feel supported in their role?

Do they feel unsure of how to identify and manage someone with a potential swallowing issue?

Do they know how to respond to a relative’s insistence on bringing unsuitable food from home for the resident?

Can they be as productive as they want to be if there are areas of the basics that we take for granted, such as eating and drinking, if they’re unsure of what a simple cough may mean?

You can easily become an ‘Employer of Choice’ where staff feel supported and valued in their role. Providing them with the knowledge they need regarding the very basics of care – eating and drinking safely.

Talk to us about how we can help you retain your valuable staff.

https://www.safeswallowing.com.au/for-organisations

A Solemn Reminder

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 06:36:09 GMT

I wanted to tell you a very sad story that occurred recently.

A truly wonderful aged care facility who offers the absolute best care for their residents recently had a tragic event.

An elderly resident had been assessed by the facility’s speech pathologist who had recommended a diet modification. This is certainly part of our role in caring for those in the population who have swallowing issues – ageing residents and those with a disability often fall into this category.

The gentleman had just finished eating his dinner. Walking away for the table, he attempted to cough. A nurse was standing behind him as he began to collapse. He was choking on a mouthful of his dinner. Despite CPR being immediately and consistently administered until the ambulance arrived, the gentleman died.

This is a shocking tragedy. This gentleman lost his life. Whilst the resident did not have any family, his fellow residents and the staff at the facility who witnessed this incident, have all been very significantly affected. The error was that the dinner prepared for him did not consistently follow the speech pathologist’s texture modified recommendations. Some of the meal was too big for him to chew and swallow safely.

The staff member who prepared this gentleman’s meal will carry that burden with them forever. She was immediately dismissed.

Since 1987, I’ve been providing education about swallowing safety and dysphagia diet food and fluid modifications. In that time, I have had a couple of staff members who queried the need for education, telling me that they have never seen anyone under their care choke.

One can never assume that this awful situation will not occur. This tragedy is a poignant reminder of the need to support both residents and staff.

Ensuring staff have the proper training in managing the resident’s safe swallowing and following, to the letter, the recommended food and fluid modifications, for the sake of the residents and staff, could not be more important.

Please don’t leave things to chance. Take the Course

The Festive Season is Nearly Upon Us

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 04:03:31 GMT

I’ve been out and about gift buying… thinking about family and friends … what Christmas will mean this year. Every year, we want to make it special and every year it really is. It’s a time of the year I personally love. It’s a chance to catch up with those we’re close to … to chat and laugh and find out about all the happenings from the year as it draws to a close.

Whether we celebrate Christmas or not, those few public holidays often give an opportunity to catch up with those close to our heart.

Food is an integral part of all celebrations and get togethers. So often I see families prepare food for a resident in an aged care facility or in a supported living arrangement or simply at home. Sometimes when they know I’m coming, they’ll hide it in a drawer in case I say it’s not suitable for their loved one. One time, after modifying a resident’s diet and unfortunately suggesting that some of the food lovingly cooked at home wasn’t a suitable consistency for him, the family suggested no longer visiting because it would cause too much distress, visiting but not bringing any homecooked food.

That’s not what we want! We just want the resident to be safe… to enjoy family visits… to eat food lovingly made and to have all that appropriately managed.

Education, as always, is the key. We sincerely hope you enjoy the lead up to this special time of the year and that we can all keep in mind that the safety of our loved ones when enjoying home cooked meals, is absolutely paramount.

Learn more

A Path Carefully Considered

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 06:35:50 GMT

It’s a hard decision to make when a loved one is at a point in their life when they need specialized care beyond what a family can offer. My own mother always told we three daughters to never, ever put her in a nursing home. Ever. Full stop. We never got to the point of having to make that decision, but many do.

Once that decision is made, whether it be for one of our elderlies or someone with a disability, two journeys begin. One journey for the resident with the full support, hopefully, of their family. A second journey also begins for the Aged Care or Residential Facility. Both journeys can be fraught with challenges.

The journey for the family is, ideally, one where every member of that family is on the exact same page. Let’s not fool ourselves, this often is not the case. I’ve met many husbands, sons, daughters etc many who all have their own differing opinions and expectations around the care of their loved one. Some, through no fault of their own, have no understanding of the ageing process or what is realistically involved in residential or aged care living. They often react to situations rather than calmly responding with thought and consideration of what is going on. Of course, overseeing the care of a loved one, when a degree of control is removed from the family, is stressful and bound in emotions sometimes fueled by feelings of guilt or conflict. Accepting the advice of those who are experienced in all the areas of health, nutrition, safe consumption of food and fluids, maintaining contact with family members and having appropriate social activities, can be a challenge for some relatives.

The parallel journey of course is taken by the Aged Care or Residential Facility staff. Their job is to navigate, not only the increasingly complex administrative side of nursing and the actual, ‘on the ground’ care of their residents but also the demands of the families themselves. The continuing COVID environment accentuates yet another layer to all this, with the ongoing level of care and support, not only for the residents but also the support our disability and aged care workers themselves deserve.

Government policy has placed a huge spotlight on every facility; the public scrutinizing every move that is made. Of course, there are enormous benefits to be had for the sector in their recommendations. All of this though has added even more layers of stress and work, to every facility manager and staff member. Education and access to the expertise allied health professionals offer has been one of those recommendations and has been lauded by the facilities I’ve been involved with.

Our ability to swallow food and liquid safely, without any discomfort, coughing or risk to our health, is something we take for granted. It’s a fully automated process for the healthy person. Although most people have experienced an occasion when ‘the food went down the wrong way’ there has been little thought of that being life-threatening.

For ageing residents or those with a disability, eating or drinking a simple meal can be life-threatening. We can no longer just pass off a resident’s seemingly innocent cough, with a comment such as ‘Oh, they always cough like that.’ No. Coughing is one of the most easily recognized and obvious signs of a swallowing problem. Lucky for them that they’re coughing because that’s an alarm bell to us that something is not right. The more insidious danger is when a resident is silently aspirating. Silent aspiration is when the food or fluid silently slips into the airway, without any obvious signs. Food or fluid in the airways means that resident is heading for a lung infection, even pneumonia which can cause chest pain on breathing or coughing, confusion or changes in mental awareness. Hospitalization if needed, can cause further infection, further confusion and disorientation for the resident. No one wants that outcome.

With 40 years’ experience working in residential and aged care facilities, speaking to hundreds of residents, staff and family members, I understand swallowing safety. Put your staff in the enviable position of having an up-to-date understanding and knowledge of what to look for and expect in caring for this basic function of the resident’s care, as well as the international standards of food and fluid modifications (IDDSI). The small investment to ensure the safety of every resident, by the empowerment of your staff, is well worth the investment.

Email for significant discounts to suit your staff numbers and I’ll respond personally. support@safeswallowing.com.au

A program to alleviate loneliness in men has proven wildly popular.

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 02:45:05 GMT

As Australia’s loneliness epidemic grows , a transport company in south eastern Sydney is providing men with companionship and social engagement.

Run by Activus Transport, the Just4Blokes (J4B) program gives men a monthly chance for some much-needed company in a safe, non-threatening environment.

Activus is a community transport organisation that mainly provides community access to those over 65 who need help getting around, with a paid or volunteer driver helping them to get to medical appointments, catch ups with friends or just to spend some time outside.

The company also runs social outings for up to 100 people at a time, taking them to tourist attractions for a day out and some lunch.

But around six months ago, staff noticed that of those who came on the social outings, only a small fraction of them were men.

“We thought, well, where are all the men?” explained Pam Collocott, business development officer at Activus.

Staff put their heads together and came up with an idea: tailored social outings just for men, where they would visit “blokey places… that we hoped would be attractive to men”, like automobile or cricket museums, followed by a trip to a pub for lunch rather than a cafe.

A trial was put together, and on the very first trip, the bus was full.

“We were very inspired by that and thought, well, OK, I think we’re onto a winner here. Let’s just see what happens next time. And the next bus was full. And the next one. And the next one and the next one. And we have people on waiting lists now,” Collocott said.

An upcoming trip will see two busloads of gentlemen taken on an overnight trip to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. This event was so popular, the names of those going had to be drawn from a ballot.

“It’s just taken off like a rocket and we are thrilled to pieces that it’s really touching a nerve,” Collocott said.

She explained that the team has witnessed health and wellbeing benefits in the men too as they connect with others through shared interests and experiences in a safe and familiar environment.

“They’re learning about other people, they’re making friendships, they’re happier, they go home, their partners are happy that they’re happy. [We] are quite impressed that we’ve given something a shot, we’ve tried it and it’s proven to be incredibly successful.

“It’s just this wonderful ignition of social connection. Given the popularity of it, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to do it perhaps twice a month [in future].”

It’s also been a joy to watch the gentlemen realise that they can go out and have as much fun as their wives and partners, she added.

In a similar vein, Activus is currently trialling a program called Buddy Up, where people experiencing loneliness are paired with a volunteer for a couple of hours who can sit with them and have a conversation, help them with shopping and provide the physical and mental support they need.

“We’ve noticed that [loneliness] is a problem. And as we see problems come up, we try to do something to find a solution for them,” Collocott said.

“We don’t just want to be only a transport provider. We want to be a quality lifestyle provider or facilitator.”

The J4B program is now a finalist in the HESTA Excellence Awards, and Collocott said the fleet manager who has driven the program will be there for the awards ceremony.

She hopes that with increased recognition of the program, it will be able to grow to service more men and alleviate some of the loneliness that they experience.

Courtesy of https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2022/11/blokes-just-wanna-have-fun-too/

Danielle Kutchel @ProBonoNews

Danielle is a journalist specialising in disability and CALD issues, and social justice reporting. Reach her on danielle@probonoaustralia.com.au or on Twitter @D_Kutchel.

An Avoidable Occurrence

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 03:48:02 GMT

When endeavouring to increase people’s awareness and understanding of the risks of eating and drinking food and fluids that are not suitable to their current swallowing function, I’ve been met with vastly different responses.

One staff member, with many years’ experience in aged care, reported only ever seeing one resident choke. This was apparently due to the resident ‘stuffing her mouth with wafers’. Even those of us who don’t have swallowing issues may have choked on that snack. We certainly would have coughed a great deal.

Coughing is the protective mechanism the body uses to stop food or fluid going into the lungs instead of the stomach. A very clever design.

The other end of the scale was reported by a facility manager whose staff had been devastated by a similar incident and who have been on an earnest search for education to support their staff, to avoid any recurrence of this kind.

This gentleman had a significant disability that prevented him form eating a normal diet. His food had been modified for him, but he insisted on visiting a local café when family came to visit. There he ordered hot chips. I know the ‘pull’ of regular food that he’d been missing out on due to a pureed diet being safest for him, is enormous and totally understandable. Everyone deserves to enjoy themselves.

Distressingly for him, his family and staff who accompanied him to the café, they witnessed a very serious and public choking incident. The staff managed to save his life, but here was an enormous emotional cost to this gentleman, his family and staff.

Exposure to a choking incident is extremely distressing and can stay with you indefinitely. Even if only one resident, loved one, staff or family member, can be spared this nightmare, surely it’s worth the investment. Take the Course

A little about me ….

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 05:25:15 GMT

Once I understood what speech pathology as a career actually was, I knew it was for me. A career where you could work with children, adults and other professionals. Perfect! When I started working in speech pathology, I welcomed every opportunity to help any client who came my way.

I learnt so much in my first government position where I stayed for 5 years. When I started my family, I began to work only with children, by myself initially.

Once someone else joined me, we had the luxury to also work in aged care and disability. We could then work with the whole family and have no one excluded from our care.

The importance of inclusion and including the wonderful generation of our elders as well other care professionals whose job is so vital and who have not always chosen the easiest career path, has been and continues to be, a wonderfully enriching experience. I can't express how much I love what I do.

Our primary aim is and always has been, to ensure every one of our clients is safe and functioning at their absolute potential, regardless of their age and current abilities.

Just imagine … gulp, cough, gulp, cough, cough …

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:52:26 GMT

We all swallow between 500-700 times a day, even around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals and taking medication. Imagine the discomfort of coughing almost every time you swallow.

Around one million Australians have a swallowing difficulty. Our elderly loved ones and those with a disability swallow too, not only their meals and fluids but medications as well. They are at higher risk of a swallowing problem.

Working in Disability and Aged Care is both rewarding and challenging. Choking is amongst the top 3 causes of death in these precious populations. The more we know about swallowing safety, the more comfortable we feel in caring for them.

Learn more Take the Course

Everyone’s Mental Health

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 01:22:58 GMT

We’re just concluding October Mental Health Month. Australia alone has 2.65 million carers (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018 - latest census). That’s 10.8% of our population – 1 in every 10 people. I suspect it is much higher now, in 2022.

Caring for someone, whether it be a family member, an ageing resident at home or in an aged care facility or someone with a disability, can be a very rewarding and yet stressful role.

I speak to many staff and carers who are doing the most amazing job in this often challenging space. Without exception, they tell us that having an understanding and knowledge of the many aspects of care of their loved one or resident has reduced their stress and paved the way for greater confidence in their role.

As the Aged Care Commission and the NDIA have pointed out, education is a vital part of each carer’s support system. An important part of any carer program involves training family members (informal carers), staff and formal carers to better provide specialised care to loved ones. Carers report higher levels of wellbeing including a greater ability to manage day-to-day caregiving and understand their loved one’s behaviour, with education. This helps address feelings of stress and overwhelm on both sides.

Easy to understand education provided for staff and carers will always help reduce stress and overload by simply having the correct information at your fingertips. Find out more about the importance of understanding swallowing issues and dysphagia. Take the Course

A Home Cooked Meal

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 00:52:23 GMT

Everyone loves a home cooked meal; many dishes are tied into our culture and are a big part of our growing up. For the many residents who have settled in Australia, moving away from their place of birth, food is the biggest connection to their homeland. I know that congee, a thick, Asian rice soup is often associated with convalescing, making the consumer feel instantly better.

It’s harder in the current environment for these foods to be allowed in out-of-home residences. Many residences however are working with families and speech pathologists to have modified, culturally appropriate foods that both bring back those memories and are safe for the resident. This is a great direction.

What’s vital for everyone concerned is that these home-cooked meals comply with the International Dysphagia Diet Standards. Eating or drinking consistencies that are not recommended by the speech pathologist can lead to choking and food or fluid going into the lungs instead of the stomach. Food or fluid there can cause infection and pneumonia and can, sadly lead to loss of life.

Education on these important issues is easily available to carers and family members. Take the Course

We’re All Working Together To Support Every Resident

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:21:30 GMT

Sometimes, I know circumstances lead to speech pathology advice, regarding modifications to a resident’s diet, being over-ridden. We make a relatively brief visit, assess the resident, give advice and then off we go.

We’re not a part of the daily routine, of the bigger picture of that resident’s life within their family and/or environment. We may not always see the family in that context either, nor the day-to-day interactions of that resident with staff and/or carers.

Often the resident’s presentation and ability to manage different textures varies from day to day or even meal to meal. That gets especially tricky in terms of making recommendations, as we all want the resident to be eating a diet that’s closest to a normal diet – one that we all enjoy eating. However, if even one meal, in fact one mouthful is not swallowed comfortably and safely AT ALL TIMES, the resident is the one at risk of serious health complications.

Therefore, we need to understand that the resident’s body is the boss, not anyone else. We, as speech pathologists, must err on the side of caution and as a result, often take the most conservative path regarding diet modifications. This can be hard for those caring for the resident to navigate. However, this philosophy protects the resident at all times.

We take great care in advising about the safety of that resident at the time we assessed them. It goes beyond that visit though. We know that to successfully maintain the diet and safety for each resident, all of those involved with them, need to be on the same page. We work in with the nursing staff, care workers, dietitians, GP, kitchen staff and family, to ensure everyone has the same understanding of the consequences of deviating from the advice given. Everyone needs education.

Find out more at https://safeswallowing.com.au

Types of Dementia

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 01:23:21 GMT

With Dementia month just concluding and recently highlighted in the media, it’s timely to have a bit of an update about it from a speech pathologist’s viewpoint.

According to World Health Organization, an estimated 47,000,000 people worldwide are living with Dementia and 7 million cases are diagnosed each year. They’re huge numbers that not only impact the person living with Dementia themselves, but their caregivers as well.

This short video discusses the 5 main types of Dementia and their symptoms. The video is specifically designed for caregivers. I hope you find it useful.

Thank you for the job you do in caring for those living with Dementia. If your loved one has a difficulty with swallowing, find out more here.

Take the Course

What Others are Saying about their Safe Swallowing Education Course

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 02:39:49 GMT

Here are 5 of the most recent comments from staff who have completed their Safe Swallowing Education Course. We appreciate, not only their feedback, but them taking the time to email us.

Can I just say thank you for having this available to us when we needed it so much. Our staff have enjoyed the format and content of the training and it certainly made us and them feel more confident around working with participants with swallowing difficulties.

I would have no hesitation in recommending your course to other providers.

Thank you

- Sharon A, Operations Manager, Disability Services and Support Organization

As I don’t like doing courses I tend to not do them but I did this one and it was really good and very easy to follow. If I had to rate it I would give 10/10. Do this course, it's good.

- Kathryn N. (Care Worker)

I did find your safe swallow training very informative and will be helpful in the support working role. I felt very comfortable navigating my way through the course, the video clips were very clear and easy to follow. Short quizzes helped to reinforce the info gained. So well done. Stay safe and well done there. Thanks again and best wishes.

- Barbara H. (Care Worker)

I found the Safe Swallowing Education Course interesting, one thing that I found interesting is people have a high chance of choking while watching TV.

- Karen M.(Care Worker)

Completing the course was exactly what I needed to understand the specifics of Dysphagia. It was an extremely helpful start when joining the Care Food Co team.

The Safe Swallowing Education Course was extremely useful in learning more about Dysphagia management and IDDSI information. The content covered was detailed and provided relevant information to understand swallowing difficulties. The information was clearly presented. I highly recommend completing the course.

- Fiona M. (Food Safety Team Member)

Being careful when eating.

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 06:59:54 GMT

I completely understand concerned relatives of our elderly and disabled populations wanting everything to remain the same for them. We all like continuity. It keeps us at ease. Everyone has a lot to contend with as they navigate their body and health changing over time. Parents or carers of our disabled population face the same concerns. Many find themselves overwhelmed with a variety of health issues. The challenges also affect those caring for the loved one and the families as their own health changes over time.

When we, as speech pathologists, assess the swallowing function, we aim to keep the resident or loved one being cared for at home, on a diet that is as close to their present one as possible. Paramount in our minds too is, of course, the safety of the loved one.

As careful as anyone might be when eating or drinking, the vital part of the swallowing mechanism, is actually completely involuntary. Unfortunately, it just won’t matter how very careful we are eating or drinking, if your swallowing mechanism has deteriorated, that meal may well head straight to your lungs. Food or fluid shouldn’t go there. But sometimes it does! And it causes serious issues such as choking or an infection like pneumonia; these 2 incidents being amongst the top 3 causes of death for those with swallowing issues. Sorry to be blunt.

I recently spoke to a mother of a young, disabled adult who also had swallowing problems. Careful assessment of this young lady’s swallow revealed the need to place her on a modified diet.. Her mother did not want a bar of it. She knew her daughter and had been feeding her her entire life and was 'careful'. I really felt for both the daughter and her mother. However, if the mother continued to feed her daughter her current diet, very, very serious consequences were likely to occur.

As hard as it can be, it’s vital to accept the advice of a professional who knows the challenges for our Dysphagic residents.

Education about Safe Swallowing is one of the basic aspects of duty of care in the elderly and disabled populations. Learn more about cost effective, online, safe swallowing education. Take the Course

Oh they always cough like that.

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 02:18:50 GMT

Sometimes when assessing a resident in their home or at a residential facility, I’ll hear another resident coughing during or after their meal. When I ask a staff member or relative if the resident is ok, I more often than not, get the answer ‘Oh, they always do that.’ The implication is that coughing is normal for some people when they eat. Noooooooooooooooo! It's not normal.

Coughing is the body’s way of protecting the airway from substances that are heading to the lungs but shouldn’t be. The fact that someone ‘always does that’ doesn’t mean it’s ok. In fact, it’s one of the most obvious danger signs of a swallowing problem.

Choking is one of the top 3 causes of death in our elderly and disabled populations. Aspiration pneumonia can occur when food or fluid has gone into the lungs instead of the stomach. This infection can lead to hospitalisation and, in the worst case, can be deadly.

Keeping our elderly and disabled populations safe and comfortable when eating and drinking, is easier than you think. We just need the right education. Find out more Take the Course

Simply Defiance?????

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 06:21:26 GMT

I recently assessed an elderly lady who had completely lost her ability to speak. The aged care facility was understandably concerned also, about her nutritional intake, as she was refusing to eat. She frequently closed her mouth tightly during each meal. She was losing weight, eating very little in spite of being fed.

What was going on? She had already been placed on a pureed diet. On assessment, she took the first mouthful I presented to her, keen to eat. Her swallow mechanism was slow but efficient. She clenched her mouth closed when I presented the next spoonful of food. I asked her if she was still swallowing the first mouthful. She nodded. This continued throughout my assessment.

She wasn’t refusing food because she had lost the ability to eat. Nor was she not hungry. Nor was she being defiant and actually refusing to eat. She just needed a very extended amount of time to swallow each mouthful. She knew no other way to communicate that message other than clenching her mouth shut. It would have been easy to misunderstand her non-verbal behaviour and incorrectly assume she was unable or unwilling to eat. This may have led to a discussion about palliative care.

Knowing what to look for and how to interpret what is going on, especially with non-verbal clients or residents, is essential for our care of them.

Find out more Take the Course

It’s Terrifying that such a Little Known Fact could have such a Devastating outcome

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 01:07:11 GMT

Working in Disability and Aged Care, you would realise that, amongst the top most common causes of death, is choking . Of those presenting with a swallowing difficulty (known also as Dysphagia), in 75% of cases, there is no ‘ bodily siren ’ of coughing, warning of impending danger. This is known as Silent Aspiration . For some then, there are absolutely no symptoms or external warning signs of aspiration. The food or drink is heading straight for the lungs and you just cannot tell.

When food or drink make their way into your lungs, they can damage the tissues there. The damage can sometimes be severe. Aspiration also increases the risk of pneumonia. This is an infection of the lungs that causes fluid to build up in the lungs. Not only painful, pneumonia can lead to hospitalisation, further infection and even death.

Don’t risk a lack of understanding about Safe Swallowing and what you need to know, to care for those who may be at risk of choking or silent aspiration.

Ensuring Care Staff have the right tools to identify this danger is a vital part of our important role in caring for our disabled and elderly populations. As a speech pathologist with 40 years’ experience in this training, I'm offering my online Safe Swallowing Education Course which is cost effective and completed in an hour. Care staff managers are advised who has completed the Course and participants receive a Certificate of Completion.

Find out more Take the Course

Not What You’d Expect

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 02:15:32 GMT

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 or drinking. 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 or those with a disability from enjoying meals in the safest possible way. Understanding the modifications and their implications is essential. Find this vital information at www.safeswallowing.com.au

Silent and insidious

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 00:04:14 GMT

Almost everyone, at some time, has experienced food or drink ‘going down the wrong way’. That feeling and the subsequent coughing fit, isn’t fun at all. As unpleasant as that coughing is, it’s the body’s protective mechanism to stop whatever you’ve swallowed going into your airway and down to your lungs. Food obviously doesn’t belong there because food in the lungs can cause an infection or pneumonia.

For well over half of our elderly and disabled populations with a compromised swallowing function, there are NO OUTWARD SIGNS that the food or drink ‘has gone down the wrong way’. Everything looks completely normal, on the surface. However, the food has actually SILENTLY headed down to the lungs and is sitting there until the resident becomes ill. It's like a time bomb.

Education about Safe Swallowing is essential in caring for our disabled and elderly populations, in a facility or at home. Find this vital information at www.safeswallowing.com.au

I LOVE the work I do

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 03:00:17 GMT

I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to assess a resident or loved one being looked after at home, whose swallow has improved since their initial swallowing assessment. To be able to let them know they can return to a normal diet brings great joy all ‘round.

The first several months after a stroke for example, is referred to as a spontaneous recovery period. During this time, patients naturally regain some use of their arm or leg, on the affected side of their body. Their swallowing function can also improve spontaneously.

On initial assessment, they may have had the consistency of their food and liquids modified to ensure their safety whilst eating. Our role, as speech pathologists is to assess the person’s swallow function and recommend consistencies that support their oral intake going into their stomach, not their lungs. Food or fluid in the lungs can cause infection, pneumonia and even death.

Being sure family, carers, disability and aged care staff know the signs of a swallowing problem and how best to support the person whose swallow has been affected, is a vital part of their role in caring for their loved one or resident.

Take the Course

SAFELY Enjoying Morning Tea

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 23:36:38 GMT

I recently reviewed some residents in an aged care facility and disability service at morning teatime. I was checking to see if they were still safe on their modified diets of mildly thickened fluids and a soft, bite sized foods. The tea lady was making her second round and asked one 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 traveling to her lungs instead of her stomach. Of course, the tea lady did not have an understanding of this risk.

When I reminded her that this lady was on mildly thickened fluids, she said ‘She’s already had her thickened fluids today.’ I could see her logic, thinking the mildly thickened fluids were a bit like taking medication once a day for example. However, if a diet has been modified for any resident we need to adhere to that modification for every meal and fluid intake.

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

Easily update your knowledge at Safe Swallowing Education at www.safeswallowing.com.au

The latest on Dysphagia – what is it and what you should know about it

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 01:47:43 GMT

Like breathing, swallowing is essential to everyday life. According to Speech Pathology Australia, the speech pathologists’ peak body, humans swallow at between 500-700 times a day, around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals.

“We trust that food, drink, saliva and medicine will pass through our mouth, throat and oesophagus and arrive safely in our stomach.

“Yet, for an average of around eight percent of the population, this simple act is a problem because food and drink travel into their lungs and causes chest infections like pneumonia. Sometimes this problem is so severe that regular food and drink can become a life-threatening choking risk.”

While Australians are alert to the choking risks for small children, few know the danger of choking on food is seven times greater for people aged over 65 years than those aged 1-4 years.

Dr Chichero, Honorary Senior Fellow, Queensland University, says speech pathologists are often the professionals who assess and manage dysphagia.

“To keep Australians with swallowing problems safe, food and drinks are often changed so that they are easier and safer for swallowing,” she adds.

“Based on a clinical assessment by a speech pathologist, foods are chopped, minced or pureed and drinks are thickened.”

From 1 May 2019, new guidelines were introduced in Australia to standardise the names and descriptions of food and drink used in medical and community settings to reduce choking risk.

The guidelines have been developed by The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), which Speech Pathology Australia is actively supporting.

If you would like to find out how to better understand and safely manage dysphagia Take the Course .

Safety and Dignity

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 07:14:13 GMT

I’ve had more than one person’s relative say to me that it was such a loss of dignity having a modified diet for their loved one. After my assessment, this particular lady’s diet had been modified to a soft and bite sized consistency and very mildly thickened liquid. Not much of a change from my perspective, but a significant one from the relative’s. I could understand where she was coming from.

I remember my own mother saying, when it had been suggested that we have a carer come into her home to ensure she was safe bathing and doing some small household chores for her, ‘This is the beginning of the end then, isn’t it.’

It all depends on your perception, doesn’t it. Both lifestyle changes of a modified diet and someone popping in to help out, do require adjustment to a well-set routine. Both, as well, are put in place to ensure the absolute safety of the loved one or resident and my own mother some years ago.

Mum and I talked about that and she understood her dignity was not at stake, her safety was. She would rather some external help than to be in a position that endangered her. A bit of help meant we three daughters would know she was ok and all four of us could enjoy one another’s company a lot longer. And that we did.

The resident’s daughter and I asked her mother how she felt about the change to her diet. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘I feel far more confident eating and drinking now, it all goes down much more easily.’

It felt good knowing she was relieved there was something that could help her. Understanding swallowing difficulties means they can eat safely and takes the pressure of you, as a carer for an ageing resident or someone with a disability.

Click o n Take the Course

Do You Work with the Elderly or Disabled populations?

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:32:31 GMT

Yours is an incredibly special and demanding career, with predictably unpredictable events happening on every shift. The range of issues in our ageing and disabled populations is forever increasing as the largest generation ever, the Baby Boomers, finds its way from independent living to home care, to residential aged care or to high care.

Putting aside general health issues such as heart disease, stroke, neurological disease and the like, Dementia alone affects almost 50 million people worldwide and this is predicted to increase to 131.5 million people by 2050. Every three seconds someone in the world develops Dementia. In Australia alone, Dementia is the single greatest cause of disability in older Australians (aged 65 years or older) and the third leading cause of disability burden overall. People with Dementia account for 52% of all residents in residential aged care facilities.

On the ground, there is little more personally distressing than witnessing your ageing or disabled loved one slowly slipping away from family members with this insidious disease.

One of the immediate dangers of Dementia is the loss of ability to know how to eat and drink. It seems unimaginable that we could ‘forget’ how to do something that has been such an automatic and ingrained skill all our lives. Sadly, swallowing difficulties in these populations are rife.

Being aware of the signs to look for to protect and manage swallowing difficulties, also known as Dysphagia, is vital in your role as a carer. Here are 3 of the many signs to help you identify a potential life-threatening swallowing problem:

Spitting food out of their mouth
Taking longer to eat than most residents
Excessive tongue movement or excessive saliva in their mouth

Simple and effective education can reduce the risk of a choking incident and reduce your stress when caring for the ageing and those with a disability.

Click o n Take the Course

Ever had a Coughing Fit whilst Eating?

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 01:53:46 GMT

Having a coughing fit whilst eating isn’t any fun at all - for the person coughing or the people around them. In those circumstances we, as 'spectators', do our best to help the distressed person and often after a while, things usually settle down. I recall a good friend profusely coughing at a restaurant one night, having just eaten multiple hot chillies. She did recover, completely undeterred from eating more chillies into the night.

Coughing is our body’s way of telling us something has gone down the wrong way - telling us that food or drink are heading to the lungs instead of the stomach. It’s a great ‘bodily siren’ . The lungs should only manage the intake of air. Our stomach handles the intake of food and liquids. If the body gets this wrong, the consequences can be dire.

Sometimes, things do go amiss and there is no ‘bodily siren’ , no warning of impending danger. This is known as Silent Aspiration. For some, in fact up to 75% of those with swallowing difficulties, there are absolutely no symptoms or external warning signs of aspiration. The food or drink is heading straight for the lungs and no one knows.

Don’t risk a lack of understanding about Safe Swallowing and what else you need to know to care for those who may be at risk of silent aspiration.

Click o n Take the Course

Are you caring for an elderly parent or someone with a disability?

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 06:26:50 GMT

In an age where many of us work well towards and even past the previously accepted retirement age, the pressure to be and do everything for everyone in our family, seems to grow with every day. Many of us are sandwiched between two generations of caring for our ageing parents and looking after our grandchildren. Add to that the likely scenario of also working full or part time, or perhaps looking after someone with a disability and we wonder how it can be possible to provide the best care and support all round, whilst ensuring we maintain an even keel for ourselves.

Of course, we want to ensure our parents or loved one with a disability age safely and are surrounded by the love and very best care we can offer. This can place an enormous additional strain on us. Sometimes we are simply unsure of what is ‘normal’ in the whole process and what we should be concerned about.

I’ve seen many people who are being cared for both in and out of their homes, coughing on their meals or drinks. The most common response from well-meaning relatives is ‘Oh, that’s ok, they always cough at mealtimes.’

Please trust me, it’s not ok.

Coughing is one of the signs that food or drink is heading towards the lungs, not the stomach. Food or drink in the lungs, causing germs to fester there, can lead to pneumonia causing immense pain when breathing, hospitalisation, even death, in the elderly or disabled populations.

Knowing all the signs to look for to ensure your loved one is swallowing safely is vital to their care. Take the Safe Swallowing Course. For a similar cost of a packet of cigarettes, you can ensure you know what to look for to keep our loved one safe. Click o n Take the Course

About Swallowing Difficulties

Fri, 27 May 2022 07:03:38 GMT

Swallowing Difficulties affect up to 1 in 25 adults

Like breathing, swallowing is a reflex and essential to everyday life. Humans swallow at least 900 times a day: around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more often during meals. We swallow food, liquids, medicine and saliva. People who have trouble swallowing are at risk of poor nutrition and dehydration.

With each swallow we hold our breath for around one second, to make sure the food or drink travels down the correct tube to the stomach rather than the lungs. Swallowing uses 26 muscles and many nerves to coordinate the split-second timing needed to safely swallow. Mistimed movements can lead to food or drink ‘going down the wrong way’’.

As we age or if we have disability, this reflex can deteriorate due to a number of conditions such as illness, damage to the brain or structures of the head and neck. Almost half of everyone who has had a stroke will have a swallowing problem. People who have had a head injury, those with Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease, dementia, cancer of the head and neck may also have swallowing problems.

IMPACT

The impact of having a swallowing problem is far reaching, not only for the person themselves but for their family and friends. Eating and drinking is an important part of everyday life. Not only do we need to eat and drink to live, but eating and drinking should be an enjoyable pastime with many social activities happening around eating and drinking.

Swallowing problems can result in life threatening medical problems such as pneumonia, choking, poor nutrition and dehydration if not managed properly. Eating and drinking can be uncomfortable, stressful and frustrating for a person with a swallowing problem.

Dysphagia Care Plan

If the person suffering from a swallowing problem has been advised that they can’t have some types of food and drink, this can make eating and drinking in front of friends and family difficult and embarrassing. These problems can lead to anxiety, depression and social isolation.

Carers Course Online

The good news is that people who seek professional help can work on ways of eating and drinking that can reduce or remove these problems.

IDDSI

The wonderful work of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) outlines the various levels of food and liquid modifications recommended for those with swallowing problems so they can swallow safely. This online course explains the dietary guidelines and how to identify a possible swallowing difficulty.

Take the Course

Swallowing Awareness Day – Wednesday, March 16 2022

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:47:14 GMT

Swallowing Awareness Day? You may be thinking, there’s such a thing as a Swallowing Awareness Day – a whole day devoted to something no one even thinks about? Why? Isn’t swallowing something we all ‘just do’, like breathing? We don’t have an International Breathing Day. No thought involved. For most of us, that’s quite right. We don’t even have to think about swallowing; it’s all automatic, just like breathing or our heart beating.

Many of us however have had at least one experience in our lives, of something we ate or drank ‘going down the wrong way’. We coughed and coughed and sometimes, had to cough a great deal more … and whatever it was that went down the wrong way, was cleared. Depending on how long you had to cough, the incident may or may not have distressed you. But imagine, having the risk of that kind of discomfort every single time you eat or drink. That is life challenging and that is what’s known as Dysphagia – a swallowing problem.

A swallowing difficulty (dysphagia) is any problem with sucking, swallowing, drinking, chewing, eating, controlling saliva, taking medication, or protecting the lungs from food and drink ‘going the wrong way’. It can be a problem with keeping the lips closed so that food, liquid or saliva doesn’t dribble out.

According to Speech Pathology Australia, the speech pathology profession’s peak body, around one million Australians have a swallowing difficulty. Swallowing problems can occur at any stage of life. However, the knowledge of dysphagia and its implications remain largely unknown for most Australians.

Sometimes, the first sign of a swallowing problem is coughing, gagging or choking when eating and drinking. Swallowing problems can mean food, drinks or saliva get into the lungs and this can cause lung infections (pneumonia). Reflux is a problem where the valves in the oesophagus (the tube where the food or fluid travels to the stomach) cause the contents of the stomach (like food, drink or stomach acid) to come back up, sometimes reaching as far up as the throat and mouth.

Swallowing is essential to everyday life. Humans swallow between 500-700 times a day, around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals.

Swallowing Awareness Day 2022 is an opportunity to bring attention to swallowing disorders and to connect people with speech pathologists, the professionals who can help. For those of you working in the home care, aged care or disability sectors, seeing someone coughing during or after a meal is an all-too-common occurrence.

Coughing is the body’s protection mechanism, just like quickly withdrawing your hand if you touch something hot. Your body is designed to protect you and has automatic ‘strategies’ to keep us safe and well.

Not only is eating and drinking essential for our survival, but as a culture, the world associates virtually every special occasion, every important family event, every calendar worthy celebration, with eating and drinking. Every culture marks on their calendar, these events and the traditions of preparing unique foods for them. That whole process forms part of the celebration.

The Chinese serve longevity noodles, a whole steamed fish for abundance, sticky rice balls for togetherness, for Chinese New Year. At Christmas, there’s turkey, glazed ham and plum pudding. At Diwali, there’s crispy and spicy samosa, paneer tikka and onion bhaji. At Hanukkah, there’s brisket, latkes, also known as potato pancakes. The wonderful list goes on and on.

Imagine missing out on any of these fabulous foods at a time in the year, or several times in the year, when everyone else is relishing in those special celebrations and looking forward to the foods involved. My mouth waters just thinking about them all.

Unfortunately for many, these occasions are filled with a deep sense of dread, stress and even embarrassment at either having to refuse these beautiful foods or struggling to find something they feel they can eat safely without coughing and spluttering all over or all through the meal. Living with this underlying distress is a kind of bereavement at the loss of who they were and their previous capabilities.

For the one million with swallowing problems, their body’s automatic, protective strategies to protect them while eating and drinking have failed them. Anger at this loss is often part of the process of acceptance or resignation to their altered way of life. Having their food and liquids modified to a safe and pleasant consistency is now far easier than ever before. Care Foods Co is a provider of not only nutritious but delicious, safe, modified foods delivered directly to your home.

Having a clear understanding and knowledge of identifying and supporting either yourself or a loved one in this situation is what Swallowing Awareness Day is all about. Thank you for taking the time to explore this area of massive importance.

Duty of Care

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 23:14:08 GMT

Duty of Care is defined simply as a legal obligation to: always act in the best interest of individuals and others, not act or fail to act in a way that results in harm, act within your competence and not take on anything you do not believe you can safely do.

That all sounds very straight forward, but in real life Duty of Care can be quite a balancing act. It’s more encompassing than simply caring for an ageing relative or resident or client with a disability We may also have a duty of care to an employer, other staff and general public.

This 7.5 minute video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRF7rFRj5XA&t=10s ) looks at what the concept means to support workers and gives some examples of what it might look like in the workplace. Being aware of the needs of clients and the expectations of the Aged Care and Disability Quality Standards is a vital aspect of our role as carers. (Reference https://cdcs.com.au )

The following transition periods apply for existing registered NDIS providers:

The mealtime management practice standard applies to existing registered NDIS providers from Monday 13 December 2021.
The emergency and disaster management practice standard applies to existing registered NDIS providers from Monday 24 January 2022.

There is no transition period for the severe dysphagia management practice standard, which will be in effect from 15 November 2021.

Whilst your Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Management & IDDSI Education Course in no way replaces a speech pathologist’s assessment and recommendations specific to each client, it gives the carer an in depth understanding of Dysphagia, thus increasing your ability and comfort in providing your best care.

Take the Course

A mere Thank You is not enough .....

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:59:42 GMT

It’s the time of year where we often, time allowing, reflect back on the year rapidly departing.

It’s certainly been a mixed bag for everyone.

We would like to express our very sincere appreciation of the immense support we have received from nurses, disability care workers, aged care facilities, NDIS businesses, aged care and home care workers, family carers and many others in related care industries. We have truly been overwhelmed by you all.

We wish you all a very wonderful upcoming break and an optimistic start to 2022. The world is a better place because of you all. Please take time for yourselves as well.

Dysphagia and the Disability Sector

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 03:56:12 GMT

The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) has recently issued a Medical Alert regarding Dysphagia, safe swallowing and mealtime management. The key points are listed below:

The NDIS Practice Standards that are most relevant to this alert include:

Whilst our Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Management & IDDSI Education Course does not replace a speech pathologist’s Swallowing Assessment, The Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Management & IDDSI Education Course provides the basics in understanding a normal swallow, Dysphagia and identifying its possible warning signs, as well as explaining the International Dysphagia Diet Standards diet modifications. It does not qualify a non-speech pathologist to assess and/or create a specific plan for an individual suspected of having swallowing difficulties.

The Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Management & IDDSI Education Course gives the staff member a greater understanding of the recommendations provided by the Speech Pathologist. The Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Management & IDDSI Education Course cannot replace the specific and individual recommendations made by a Speech Pathologist after a formal assessment of a client with swallowing issues.

Completing the Safe Swallowing Education Course gives vital information to support the care everyone deserves.

Take the Course

Types of Dementia

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 07:01:28 GMT

With Dementia recently highlighted in the media, it’s timely to have a bit of an update about it from a speech pathologist’s viewpoint.

This short video discusses the 5 main types of Dementia and their symptoms. The video is specifically designed for caregivers. I hope you find it useful.

Thank you for the job you do in caring for those living with Dementia. If your loved one has a difficulty with swallowing, find out more here.

Take the Course

What participants think of their Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Management & IDDSI Education Course

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 23:13:24 GMT

Here are some quick reviews of our Course:

I thoroughly enjoyed learning the Safe Swallowing Education Course, it clarified questions I had within my SIL House here in Albury. 1 of my participants is a lazy chewer and has mild epilepsy. This course helped me identify where I sit with her. I will follow up with my staff in our next Team meeting and have a clear discussion with them also.

Cheryl R.

---------------------------

Thank you so much for assisting with our recent training, Safe Swallowing Education Course. As you know, we work with people with disabilities and this course has been fantastic for staff to have a better understanding when working with our participants around mealtime supervision and what to look for if they suspect some swallowing issues.

You have made it very easy for staff to access the course and for them to complete the course, they were thrilled to receive their certificates.

Thanks again

Sharon A.

---------------------------

I found this course very informative and helpful. Easy to listen to and complete. It is always good to recover training as we can always learn new skills and techniques to help our participants. Thank you.

Janet F.

---------------------------

I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this course and I did find it highly educational and would like to recommend it to others.

John V

---------------------------

A well organised course and easy to follow. Barbara was very helpful and supportive.

Bart B

---------------------------

Very good information from this course. Has improved my awareness of others needs and support that’s needed . Thank you.

John Y.

---------------------------

The Safe Swallowing Education Course is a great program that provided me with more knowledge about safe food practices for people with swallowing difficulties. It’s effective and informative.

Mark I.

---------------------------

The slides were great and it was information relevant to the subject which made it easy

Thank you.

Samantha M.

---------------------------

The Course was very clear and a fabulous resource for staff in nursing homes.

Lisa S.

---------------------------

I appreciate doing the course as it truly enlightened me to this problem. I did not know about the difficulties of people with safe swallowing when eating.

Angela C.

---------------------------

Very informative, descriptive, interactive and easy to learn.

Thanks

George G

Transitional Foods – do they really matter?

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 04:10:18 GMT

The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative classifies Transitional Foods as food that starts as one texture but changes into another texture when moisture, such as water or saliva is added or when a change in temperature occurs (for instance, when the food is heated).Examples of Transitional Foods are congee (a thick Asian rice porridge or soup), wafers, Cheezels or Twisties.

Biting is not required, but minimal chewing is. Tongue pressure can be used to break down these foods once the texture has been changed by moisture/saliva or temperature.

Transitional food may be used, by the speech pathologist, to help re-teach chewing skills as these foods require very little chewing. Tongue strength alone is able to break these foods down when they are softened.

Transitional foods often do not have much nutritional value so they cannot be relied on for a full diet. Caution needs to be maintained when transitional foods are ‘on the menu’ as they are only suitable for those who have been recommended a Level 5 Minced & Moist, Level 6 Soft & Bite-Sized or Level 7 Regular Foods diet. They can present a choking hazard if given to those on other food levels.

How do you test your food to make sure it is Transitional food? To test transitional food, use a piece of food 1.5x1.5cm. Add 1 mL of water to the food and wait for one minute for the food to soften, then test using the IDDSI Fork Pressure Test. Be sure to serve food pieces in the size recommended by your Speech Pathologist.

Find out more HERE .

Cycling without Age

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 02:39:20 GMT

I recently came across this article in the most recent edition of Aged Care Notes (Edition 20 – October 19, 2021).

It is such a wonderful initiative that I wanted to highlight it here. As our population ages, many fabulous organisations are using their initiative to extend services to our elderly loved ones.

Cyclists ride specially designed bicycles attached to trishaws so that our elderly loved ones who may no longer be able to ride, can enjoy bike riding. Cycling Without Age Australia (CWA) wants our elders to join in by experiencing the joy and inclusivity of their trishaw rides. These rides are delivered in a safe way and allow bike rides in open spaces, where sunshine, connection and care combine in the most wonderful way.

CWA cares deeply about everyone with whom they are associated – their passengers, volunteers, supporters and team. That care is encapsulated in their guiding principles:

Generosity

Generosity permeates every single activity in Cycling Without Age Australia and works its magic at many different levels.

Slowness

Slowness in a ride enables you to sense the environment and be present in the moment; it allows people you meet along the way to be curious about Cycling Without Age Australia.

Storytelling

They share stories, are privileged to listen to the stories of our passengers – and then document these (with permission), sharing them by word of mouth or on social media with the worldwide community of Cycling Without Age.

Relationships

They create a multitude of new relationships across all borders in our society.

With Dignity

They engage with all groups and enable people to experience living in a positive way whatever their age, ability or background.

This is one of the many ways we can keep our ageing population engaged in the endless wonderful activities available to our whole society.

For more information https://cyclingwithoutage.org.au/

Thanks for Taking the Time to Let Us Know ……

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 22:56:10 GMT

We’re very appreciative of the staff members who have taken the time to let us know what they thought about our Safe Swallowing Education Course.

“I really didn’t realise how swallowing can be such a big challenge when ageing, the online course really educated me and the information was instantly significant as I started working with a client with swallowing issues…

I feel I understand what’s going on and how I can support her and how important it is to monitor and document changes.

I’ve also had discussions with friends with elderly parents that are having swallowing issues and was able to give them some good information and help them understand what’s going on.

If working in the aged care industry, I think this course is really important and I’m glad I’ve done it. “ - Natasha K.

---------------------------

I have finished the course Thanks. It’s very good and sticks to point - that’s all we need to know in aged care. - Karen B.

---------------------------

I have found the course to be very good and very interesting. It is very useful to have this certificate especially in the industry of aged care. I recommend the swallowing course to everyone.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you - Deb S.

---------------------------

It was a great refresher course and clears up a lot of info for the PCW and hospitality workers who may be unaware. Thank you for running it. - Chloe C.

---------------------------

Thank you Barbara. I have completed the Course. I found it very helpful and I am recommending that our Support Workers also do the course. - Paula T.

---------------------------

I found the course very useful and it has taught me a great deal in dealing with swallowing difficulties, as I have a client with this issue. I feel very confident in what I learnt and this will help me a great deal. - Caroline S.

---------------------------

I found the course insightful and well laid out, it cleared a few questions I had regarding food textures and preparation.

Overall, it’s a good course with great useful information. - Udan Y.M.

---------------------------

The course is very useful as it gave me a holistic view of Dysphagia and IDDSI management. I recommend all nursing staff to learn it.

Thank you. - Laura L.

----------------------------

“3 staff who have completed the course are very happy with what they have learnt.”

Thankyou - Leshia R.

What Older Adults Want to Improve their Quality of Life

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 01:40:59 GMT

An interesting article in the September 29, 2021 issue of Aged Care Insite magazine talks about quality of life measures in the aged care industry that have typically relied on clinical indicators, such as an individual's weight, past medical history or prescription use.

Professor Julie Ratcliffe from Flinders University, a health economist, led a team to interview 3,000 older Australians and their carers to ask what they believe makes a good quality of life. Whilst a clinical approach to care is vital in our older population, it can exclude the older person in Aged Care system where clinical decisions are often made separate to the consumer.

Ensuring quality of life and care are now measurable due to Professor Ratcliffe’s research as she and her team have developed a quality indicator program. The government’s transition care program links aged care and health programs through the journey from hospital to aged care, either at home or in a residential facility.

Professor Ratcliffe’s team however, realised the lack of good tools for measuring quality of life for our older population. Surveying across all ages about what was important to them regarding quality of life, 12 key indicators became clear and centred around both physical and emotional aspects of life.

Younger people placed more importance on health dimensions (sleep, mental health, physical aspects of life). Older people placed more value on wider quality of life/wellbeing, social, independence and maintaining meaningful activities. The differences were obvious. Quality of care and quality of life were seen as a vital component in the Royal Commission into Aged Care and Safety.

The team then developed quality of life in Aged Care consumer tools, defining 6 key areas outlined by the older person with at home care or care within a residential aged care facility. They were maintaining: independence, mobility, good emotional wellbeing, social connections, meaningful activities and pain management.

Quality of care also centred around 6 key areas of: dignity and respect, being part of the decision-making process in the support the older person receives, staff having the skills and training for good care, support services for quality of life, social relationships and the ability to make complaints knowing that appropriate action would be taken as a result.

The team’s aim is that these tools are included in all aged care programs. With positive feedback from the facilities and consumers who were involved in this program, these tools have been included already in several situations, with an initial baseline taken and goals for the consumer’s future being tracked over time. Some facilities are already using the tools as part of their annual audit process. The team is currently working on digitalising the tools so that consumers have a quick, easy way to more actively direct the passage of their life, in care.

The importance of having tools to highlight how we define good standards of living, how providers can improve care and why people need to be at the centre of measuring life quality are all essential components in caring for our ageing population.

Would You Eat This?

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 02:20:20 GMT

“Good food is important for everyone, but more so for someone who has limited control over their future. What can be more immediate than giving people beautiful food and the difference it makes to every day in their life.’’ Such are the wise words of one of Australia’s most well-known cooks, Maggie Beer . Since being named the 2010 Senior Australian of the Year, Mrs Beer has been helping to develop and trial a new approach to food in aged care, with a focus on quality, freshness and presentation.

Australian celebrity chef, Simon Bryant said some of the biggest hurdles facing aged-care homes were budgets, training and liability surrounding risks such as falls, food poisoning and choking. “The first step is to collectively take responsibility and negate risk in a sensible way,” Mr Bryant said.

Personally, visiting hundreds of aged care facilities in the wider Sydney area, assessing many, many residents’ swallowing ability, to be honest many times, I held my breath before lifting their meal cloche. I would often think, Would I eat this meal?

The look of food, along with its aroma has everything to do with our desire to eat it. Keeping in mind aged care residents’ nutrition and weight maintenance, we need to ensure we get the presentation of their meals correct.

Key Components to Make a Meal Look Appealing are:

Visually attractive foods tend to appeal to our taste buds too. The feeling of happiness and satisfaction envelopes us on eating a well presented, healthy dish.

Our Oak House Catering Course supports our aged care facilities’ chefs to provide nutritious, economical foods that support our ageing loved ones with meals that encourage safe eating, reminding them of the joy that revolves around mealtimes.

Take our Catering Course - HERE

September 20, 2021 - Dementia Action Week

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 02:22:39 GMT

Dementia Australia tells us that Dementia impacts close to half a million Australians and almost 1.6 million Australians are involved in their care. The number of people living with dementia is set to double in the next 25 years. With so many people impacted now and into the future, it is vital we clear up some of the prevailing misconceptions about dementia.

People living with dementia can live active and fulfilling lives many years after diagnosis. Despite this, they often experience discrimination. In a recent Dementia Australia survey, more than 70 per cent of people believed discrimination towards people with dementia is common or very common.

The concept for Dementia Action Week was developed in consultation with Dementia Advocates , who have a lived experience of dementia. The ‘ A little support makes a big difference ’ campaign demonstrates that many people living with dementia can continue to live well for many years after their diagnosis. This year, the focus will also be on supporting and celebrating carers of people living with dementia.

Dementia Australia provides information and tips to encourage all Australians to increase their understanding of dementia and learn how they can make a difference to the lives of people around them who are impacted – and to help eliminate discrimination. These include simple and practical tips to:

Give a little support to a person living with dementia.
Give a little support to a carer, friend or family member of a person living with dementia.
Help healthcare professionals make their practice more dementia-friendly.

This awareness-raising campaign will continue to lead the discussion about discrimination, which we know has a big impact on people living with dementia, their families and carers. The good news is, there is a lot can be done to improve their experiences. To find out how you can make a difference please visit the Dementia campaign site.

To become aware of supporting those with swallowing difficulties due to Dementia – Take the Course

We’re All Juggling Many Things

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 02:00:19 GMT

There is so much going on in the world right now. We can’t deny that these are challenging times on so many levels. It can be quite overwhelming. We all need support to navigate a situation that is unparalleled for us.

There are those who are caught up in social isolation, unable to spend time with family and friends, restricted from visiting loved ones in care, those who are unwell, those who are struggling financially, those who have difficulty accessing basic shopping needs. Then of course there are our wonderful care staff who are handling not only the care of others, but also need to be mindful of their own personal needs.

Whatever else is happening in our worlds, one thing remains a constant, no matter what. Something those of us who don’t have swallowing challenges, take for granted. The basic needs of eating and drinking. We can’t ignore them. We can’t overlook them even periodically. We can’t pretend any challenges in that area aren’t happening. We simply have to face them, every day, in fact several times a day.

At Safe Swallowing Education, we have a lot to offer. We offer safe swallowing education for the aged care sector, disability sector, home caring, ready-made modified foods, Safe Swallowing Education courses for those sectors and a course for Catering staff. We want to offer you a place where you can access all the information you need to gain awareness, knowledge and understanding of everything to do with Dysphagia – a swallowing problem.

We know that education empowers you to be confident with a suspicion you may have about someone having a swallowing issue. We know education enables you to provide the best possible care for your loved one at home or a resident in care. We know you relax in the knowledge that support for your particular need, be it knowledge or access to modified meals, is available.

Thank you for visiting our site. We are here to help. Get in touch if we can help further: Email us at support@safeswallowing.com.au

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 04:49:02 GMT

Over the last 40 years I’ve had the pleasure of assessing many, many residents’ swallowing. It’s always nice to be able to have chat about the resident’s life prior to entering an aged care facility, finding out about their families, their careers, what they like and dislike.

Sometimes they don’t want to hear from me that their diet needs to be modified. I completely understand that they can see it may herald yet another part of their life that’s shrinking, being taken away from them and being beyond their control.

Of course, intellectually many of them understand any food modification is for their safety, but on a feeling, emotional level they can feel they are losing something else in the enjoyment of their life. Enjoying and therefore co-operating with their modified meals relies very much on the skills of the facility’s catering staff.

The challenge then moves to the kitchen. When it comes to what they like and don’t like to eat and what’s safe for them to eat, the kitchen staff have the biggest challenge. James Ball and Preston Walker from Oak House Kitchen understand this on every level. Oak House Kitchen was established in 2018 to develop and provide catering innovation and training for the ageing, health and social care sectors.

With many years’ experience supporting a wide range of organisations, staff and patients in health and social care, Preston and James understood that there was a need for sector specific training and systems. Together at Oak House Kitchen they have developed core principles that can be easily understood and implemented across a wide range of catering services.

The Oak House Kitchen approach improves time efficiencies, quality, choice and safety, while instilling confidence in catering teams and mitigating risk to patients and the organisations providing care services.

Find out more. Click HERE

The Three Sisters

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 05:09:09 GMT

Growing up in Sydney from the age of 4, our family would often drive to the Blue Mountains on a weekend for an outing. My father drove, my mother sat in the front, next to him and we three daughters would share the back seat.

I loved going to the Blue Mountains, a favourite tourist spot for visitors to Sydney. It seemed to hold a special place in our hearts, with the Three Sisters standing tall at Echo Point, Katoomba. The Three Sisters is essentially an unusual rock formation representing three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone.

The character of the Three Sisters changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons as the sunlight brings out the magnificent colours. As children though, we just thought of them as representing us!

Recently I was asked to assess an elderly lady at a local nursing home. She was having difficulty swallowing. I found her very amiable, easy to talk to and appreciative of a swallowing assessment, to alleviate her discomfort eating and drinking. During our conversation, she said she had 2 sisters. Ah, something we had in common. Not only that, but her two sisters were also at the same nursing home. That, we didn’t have in common!

She seemed reassured knowing her sisters were not far away and clearly, they had a special bond together. There are so many wonderful aged care facilities now going above and beyond, doing their best to connect families with their loved ones in care and to create activities that are culturally aware and provide opportunities for special food and drinks to be enjoyed.

Our priority is to ensure that every person in care, at home or in a care facility, eats and drinks safely and comfortably, with the best education on that safety and comfort. Knowing how to manage a swallowing difficulty reassures the carer and the loved one.

Take the Course

Keeping Our Sights on Those in Need

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:00:13 GMT

Amidst all the, often overwhelming, amount of information about COVID-19 and the response from the government about Aged Care Reforms, we can lose sight of who is on the frontline of our ageing population.

There are two very important groups involved with those who have been diagnosed with Dysphagia. Of course, we have our dysphagic population whose very sustainability depends on being given the correct level of modified food and fluids at every meal. We’ve all had the uncomfortable experience of food ‘going down the wrong way’ and the coughing episode that inevitably ensues. No one wants to experience that, let alone with every meal or mouthful.

The other invaluable group to help our ageing population avoid that experience, is of course our wonderful carers. Many carers are residential aged care staff in our nursing home facilities. Their role is more important than words can describe. Every day they provide specialised care to each resident as well as managing the seemingly endlessly changing compliances, rules and regulations, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. There are also increasingly more and more home carers who have the full responsibility of ensuring their loved one remains safe and healthy.

Thus, we have two sides of the same coin, each reliant upon the other, one providing the care, one receiving it. Our role is to support both. Our Safe Swallowing Education Course supports residential aged care staff and those caring for our ageing population to better understand and manage swallowing difficulties and to easily implement the new food and fluid modifications set out by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI). The Course provides information on how we swallow, understanding a swallowing problem (dysphagia) and safe strategies to support residents and carers at mealtimes.

Feel supported, Take the Course.

Just Saying ‘Thank you’ Doesn’t Seem Enough

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 02:24:04 GMT

Aged Care Employee Day this week reflects how we see those who care for our elderly loved ones. We’re not only speaking of aged care facility residents but also those relatives and friends who are home carers. It’s challenging to think of a way to express our deep gratitude to those at the coal face, day in day out. Theirs is a role that many of us feel we may not handle.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in Australia has highlighted the aged care sector as never before. It’s given us an opportunity to support, not only our residents, but our carers as well. Each situation they deal with can be very fluid; they make decisions every day that others don’t give a second thought to. Seemingly simple activities of showering, meal preparation, ensuring eating and drinking are safe and enjoyable, managing medication, handling the seemingly endless appointments – all in the current environment of lockdowns and hotspots is not something to be taken lightly.

We aim to support our home carers and aged care facility staff by providing straight forward, practical information about one of our most basic needs – eating. Empowering yourself with knowledge about what to look for and how to support safe swallowing in this very special population, is our mission. Thank you for your role.

Find out more - HERE

Everyone of Us Swallows – Empower Yourself

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 04:15:30 GMT

As a team, our mission is to support those caring for our ageing population to better understand and manage swallowing difficulties and to easily implement the new food and fluid modifications set out by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) through understanding Safe Swallowing . We have recently had several disability services also take our Course.

Of course, we all swallow, and the mechanism is the same for all of us when it all functions normally. When things go wrong with that bodily function, we need to seek professional support. If you have even the slightest concern, we always advise having a formal assessment of your swallowing, by a speech pathologist, as a priority.

Our Safe Swallowing Education Course seeks to support and empower you in understanding and managing either yourself or someone you’re caring for who has swallowing issues. Having the background knowledge of how our swallow works and how we can provide the correct support for those we’re caring for, is not only a relief but it also empowers us to safely provide the care we want to provide for those we care for.

Empower Yourself - Take the Course

Caring for Your Loved One at Home

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 01:58:35 GMT

Caring for parents as they age is never easy. As we get older, living independently in our own home can become more difficult. If we’re finding it harder to do the things we used to, we can ask for help at home.

Every senior citizen in every community is human. That is exactly how they should be treated. They have the same rights as every one of us. As well as good health care, they are entitled to the same freedom endowed on our millennials. That is the perspective we want to take when giving care to our elders.

When it comes to enjoying our independence for as long as possible, most people would agree that living independently at home is better for our wellbeing, for our families and for our community. Asking for help doesn’t mean losing independence; it’s quite the opposite. Getting a little help with daily activities means we can stay independent in our own home for longer. In fact, a little support can lead to a much better life.

Help at home looks different for different people. It may mean getting help with shopping and food preparation. Or it could be receiving personal care to bath, dress, and get in and out of bed. It may even mean getting modifications to improve your safety and movement around the house.

Getting some help at home can enable our elders to continue to live independently in their own home for as long as possible. However, this often places considerable strain on family members. As a family member and carer, catering to the unique needs of older people can be a difficult task especially as you have many other things to do. You have kids to take care of. You have your own house to keep in order, work commitments and so on. You shouldn’t let your huge to-do list push you to the wall of not looking after your own needs or giving the care you want to your loved one.

For many of our elders, regaining independence means being able to free their family to be daughters, sons and grandchildren again, because there’s help with all the other things that need to be done. Whatever independence means to you, home care can be pivotal in achieving what you want personally.

Many of our elders have specific health needs and may well have been diagnosed with Dysphagia or a swallowing difficulty. Our Safe Swallowing Education Course helps your understanding of this health issue. https://www.safeswallowing.com.au/take-the-course

Ensuring their meals are appropriately modified to allow for safe swallowing, can be a very tall order for family members. It’s not a simple matter of adding a bit of thickener to their meals or tossing the ingredients into a blender. Mistakes in modifying the consistency of the food we prepare for our elders can be devastating, sometimes leading to choking or the less obvious aspiration which means food or fluid passing into their airway and lungs, instead of their stomach. Aspiration can lead to lung infections and hospitalisation for pneumonia.

Fortunately, there is government funded financial support home care packages. These packages are available from My Aged Care. Our Disability population can access NDIS funding. Whatever level of package you’re approved for, the funding you receive is yours to allocate. You choose what mix of those services you want within your approved package. After all, it’s your independence the package is supporting.

Safe meal preparation by someone who knows the ‘ins and outs’ of modifying them and ensuring their nutritional value can provide enormous relief to family members. I am always on the ‘lookout’ for ways to lighten the load of those with or caring for, our loved ones with Dysphagia.

I have recently come across a Sydney based company that does just that. I trialled a number of their modified meals which included proteins, vegetables and fruits. They were absolutely delicious and precise in terms of complying with the International Dysphagia Diet Standards (IDDSI) https://iddsi.org/framework/ . Care Foods Co https://www.carefoodco.com.au/ even offer a free sample pack. I encourage you to try these delicious, well-priced meals to make your life easier.

Insight into Living in Aged Care

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 05:08:09 GMT

A recent article in Aged Care Insite magazine, Barbara Barbosa Neves, a social researcher and Monash University lecturer, spent 6 months in 2 aged care facilities in Melbourne, Australia. She specifically looked at loneliness, feelings about ageing and connections with others. Every human seeks meaningful social connections. Dr Julie Bajic Smith, psychologist in Greater Sydney, works in this area in a very practical sense in our aged care facilities, supporting residents and enabling staff to feel more empowered in their important role.

While we can feel motivated by simply being redirected to a more positive perspective when feeling ‘down’, what we often long for is someone who can listen and empathise with our current situation. For those ageing residents, feelings of loneliness or pointlessness in their lives, can be constant and overwhelming. They often feel they are losing more and more each day, as their interests and world shrinks.

Asking the resident what interests they have can often lead to an easy solution to bring that interest back into their day. Looking for ways to retain their past interests, for example organising audio books for the avid reader who feels they can no longer read easily, is a great way to connect with a familiar past or venture into a new one.

I’ve spent many an hour before, during or after a swallowing assessment in a facility or someone’s home, allowing the elderly loved one to reminisce about their career, family and friends. It gave me great joy to share a portion of their lives and, by the looks on their faces, that joy was not only my own. Everyone is busy but taking a moment to connect with others is worth every second.

Looking after an Elderly Loved one or Resident?

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 04:22:26 GMT

Increase your knowledge to provide safe care for those with swallowing difficulties.

Keeping Spreading the Knowledge

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 22:58:49 GMT

Just yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking to an interstate staff member who had just completed her Safe Swallowing Education Course. Working in an aged care facility with, of course, a number of residents under her care she was passionate about resident safety and comfort.

One resident, already diagnosed with Dysphagia, had developed an infection that required antibiotics. She had a cannula already in place. A cannula is a thin tube that doctors insert into a person's body cavity, such as their nose or into a vein. Doctors use them to drain fluid, administer medication or provide oxygen.

As she was about to be given antibiotics, it seemed logical to administer them via the cannula rather than orally. Previous to her Dysphagia diagnosis, this resident had been given oral antibiotics. This staff member described the medication sitting on the resident’s tongue, the resident starting to cough and then opening her mouth to cough further, ‘the room filled with white powder from the capsule and the outer casing remained sitting on her tongue.’

Fortunately, in this latter incident, supported by the knowledge in her Safe Swallowing Education Course, the staff member knew that this medication could be administered via the cannula which was far less risky and more comfortable for the resident.

The aim of the Safe Swallowing Education Course is both to ensure the safety of our elderly loved ones and to support our wonderful staff or home carers to have and apply this vital knowledge.

What Others Think of The Safe Swallowing Education Course

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 23:24:04 GMT

We’re very grateful to our Safe Swallowing Education participants for taking the time to write a testimonial.

"I have finished the course Thanks. It’s very good and sticks to point - that’s all we need to know in aged care." - Karen B.

---------------------------

"I have found the course to be very good and very interesting. It is very useful to have this certificate especially in the industry of aged care. I recommend the swallowing course to everyone."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you - Deb S

---------------------------

I feel I understand what’s going on and how I can support her and how important it is to monitor and document changes.

I’ve also had discussions with friends with elderly parents that are having swallowing issues and was able to give them some good information and help them understand what’s going on.

If working in the aged care industry, I think this course is really important and I’m glad I’ve done it. “ - Natasha K.

---------------------------

"It was a great refresher course and clears up a lot of info for the PCW (personal care worker) and hospitality workers who may be unaware. Thank you for running it." - Chloe C

---------------------------

"Thank you Barbara. I have completed the Course. I found it very helpful and I am recommending that our Support Workers also do the course."' Paula T.

---------------------------

"I found the course very useful and it has taught me a great deal in dealing with swallowing difficulties, as I have a client with this issue. I feel very confident in what I learnt and this will help me a great deal." - Caroline S.

---------------------------

"I found the course insightful and well laid out, it cleared few questions I had regarding food textures and preparation. Overall, it’s a good course with great useful information."- Udan Y.M.

---------------------------

"The course is very useful as it gave me a holistic view of Dysphagia and IDDSI management. I recommend all nursing staff to learn it. Thank you."

- Laura L.

----------------------------

“3 staff who have completed the course are very happy with what they have learnt.” Thankyou. - Leshia R.

Aged Care Reform

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 23:04:36 GMT

Working through the multiple issues that have arisen from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is certainly no easy task. Maree Bernoth, Associate Professor at Charles Sturt University School of Nursing, Midwifery & Indigenous Health raised a number of vital issues in the recent Aged Care InSite June 10, 2021 issue.

Highlighting those who provide the care to our elderly loved ones, is the issue of them receiving the correct support and quality of education as they care for and interact with older people. The government has provided $650 million to grow and upskill the workforce with 33,800 training packages for care workers. There are also tenders being processed that will provide newly graduated registered nurses with a Transition to Practice program to support them in their role. Tis is wonderful news, of course.

Swallowing safety and education is a vital area of care in the elderly. Each day we swallow 500-700 times. Imagine being uncomfortable or choking even periodically throughout the day as you eat, drink, take medication or even simply swallow your own saliva. With swallowing issues being the third most common cause of death in aged care facilities, we simply cannot afford to ignore quality education in this specific area.

Our Safe Swallowing Education Course is endorsed by the nursing unit managers whose facilities often fund their staff training. We work closely with them to ensure their staff complete the Course with 100% accuracy and are empowered to provide the appropriate support and strategies for the residents they support.

A recent graduate of our Safe Swallowing Course made this comment: “I learned a lot from this course, when going through all the steps I recognised some risk factors in my clients and have been able to mitigate them with the knowledge I acquired thanks to your course.” (Lisa F.)

We appreciate her feedback and feel privileged to be able to support those caring for our elderly in such a vital basic function we all share – swallowing.

Take the Course

Video Gaming in Aged Care

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 03:02:28 GMT

A very interesting study was recently reported by Caroline Riches in Technology , in Aged Care Insite (June 3, 2021). Whist we know that physical exercise helps older adults maintain fitness and cognitive function, a new study shows how a certain type of activity could be even more beneficial: active video gaming. We also know that falls are most common cause of death in aged care.

Caroline Riches is quoted below:

“We often consider gaming a pastime for the young, however research shows it may be the perfect hobby for older adults since it offers simultaneous physical and mental challenges, which may help to preserve memory.

The study, led by PhD student Udhir Ramnath at the University of Cape Town, compared the cognitive and physical function over 12 weeks of two groups of adults aged over 72 years with memory complaints.

One group of 22 participants took part in low-intensity standing and seated exercise; the other 23 attended two one-hour gaming sessions using the Xbox 360 console and Kinect Sports. The game tracks body movements via the Kinect camera peripheral, allowing participants to “play” several sports such as soccer and table tennis.

Those who played the game showed higher improvements in cognitive performance over the three-month period, compared to those who did conventional exercise. At the same time, they improved their physical performance, with significant increases in mobility, stability, balance and strength, which could help to reduce risks of falls

Active video gamers

Associate Professor Tracy Kolbe-Alexander at the University of Southern Queensland is also from Cape Town and was the senior author on the resulting paper, ‘Efficacy of interactive video gaming in older adults with memory complaints: A cluster randomised exercise intervention’.

She says the results prove active gaming is even more beneficial than traditional exercise because it involves simultaneous physical and mental challenges.

“In order to do well in the game, you need to remember certain sequences, you need to think about how you can improve your score, how you can move better, how you navigate the game,” she told Aged Care Insite.

“It requires visual-spatial skills, hand-eye or foot-eye coordination and quick decision making.”

Professor Kolbe-Alexander says she hopes the research will demonstrate how exercise with a cognitive load can help older Australians with memory complaints – and that this cohort should be seen as a potential active gaming audience.

“It would be great if aged care homes would be able to supply active gaming consoles and create an opportunity for residents to use them.”

She adds that playing active video games may allow older adults to overcome physical barriers to exercise, such as built-up suburbs and cities unsuitable for walking, distance from fitness centres, and oppressive heat.

One additional benefit of active gaming is harder to measure: connecting with family.

“Some of the participants said they would have something to speak about with their grandchildren,” Professor Kolbe-Alexander said.

“They can play these games together. It’s a way to connect those generations in a currency they both enjoy and understand.” End of quoted article. Caroline Riches, Technology June 3 Aged Care Insite

Changing Trends

Fri, 28 May 2021 06:06:07 GMT

With the advent of COVID19, many families decided to look after their loved ones at home. There has also been an increasing desire from our ageing population to grow older and to age in the home, apartment or retirement village they know and love.

Reflecting this new trend, nearly half of the $17.7 billion increase in funding to the aged care sector is allocated to home care including 80,000 new packages by June 2023. We also see a further $13 billion allocated to increased NDIS expenditure. A new unified aged care in home care programme with new business rules is set to launch in July 2023.

The Royal Commission into aged care quality and safety made a more restorative and preventative approach to care, with increased access to allied health care, including speech pathology, in both home and residential aged care. A further valuable recommendation is professionalising the aged care workforce through changes to education, training, wages, labour conditions and career progression.

Whether you are a carer of a loved one at home, aged care nursing staff or a care worker in an aged care facility, you have an opportunity to be proactive in your care-giving. Swallowing issues also known as Dysphagia, affect a third of our elderly population. Knowing what to look for and how best to manage this potentially life-threatening condition relies very much on the individual. Our Safe Swallowing Education Course empowers you to feel comfortable and knowledgeable for the sake of those you care for.

Why Take a Safe Swallowing Course?

Sun, 16 May 2021 22:52:52 GMT

If you work in Aged Care or are at home caring for an elderly loved one, you have a huge amount on your plate. There’s not only the health aspect of care, maintaining as much independence as possible but there’s also the social aspect and then of course the every day tasks of toileting, medication, eating and drinking and of course, of paramount importance, your own mental health.

I know when my parents were at a point in their lives when they needed support in their care, it fell to our family to provide that support of course. Fortunately for me I have two sisters who recognised our parents’ needs and were more than willing to share that support.

Initially when my father had issues after surgery, it meant many, many two hour trips to hospital to visit him and to support our Mother. We were lucky to have very supportive staff at the hospital who cared for our Dad. When our Mother reached a similar point, again we were able to take her to doctor’s appointments and support her desire to maintain as much independence as she could.

In terms of supporting their daily needs, we were able to implement a number of strategies and aids that I had learnt working in the aged care sector. Without this valuable knowledge, we not only could not have provided the care they needed but it would have placed an increasingly massive strain on us all. Navigating what’s needed to provide the best care and to ensure the carer is looked after, is absolutely paramount.

Being aware of what to look for regarding the eating and drinking risk that many of our elderly experience empowers the care giver, be it at home or in a residential setting. It can be terrifying when a resident chokes or continually has ill health due to the more insidious aspiration or when they simply are not eating and drinking well enough to maintain their health.

Education not only helps provide the best care for our elderly loved one, it empowers the carer, making your job easier and more assured and enjoyable.

The Future for Aged Care

Mon, 10 May 2021 23:18:42 GMT

With the budget being announced shortly, the Aged Care sector waits with bated breath for what is expected to herald a new direction in this area. Many experts are expressing their own recommendations for key changes in a system that has been looking for change for some time.

Quoted in Aged Care Insite , Sean Rooney, chief executive of Leading Age Services Australia says

“Our sector and our nation looks to the Australian Government to commit to a total overhaul of the aged care system to ensure older Australians are afforded the dignity, respect and support they need and deserve. This means ensuring older Australians have choice and access to high quality care and support and that aged care providers are enabled and resourced to deliver this with quality, safety and compassion – always.

The new system will be underpinned by better system governance, appropriate standards and regulation, more transparency and accountability, more staff who are better paid and trained , and a greater focus on research and innovation. …

Now is the time to make that once in a generation commitment to give older Australians the care they deserve and to ensure this is provided by age services that are high performing, respected and sustainable.”

Stephen Duckett, Director, Health Program, Grattan Institute and Anika Stobart, Associate Grattan Institute. A conversation partially republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

“ … Third, the government must announce major reforms to the aged-care workforce. It must set and enforce minimum care hours per resident in residential aged care, set up a national registration system for all personal care workers, and mandate that all aged-care workers complete Certificate III training at a minimum. ”

Bottom of Form

Anthony Albanese , Leader of the Opposition outlines the party’s key actions, particularly for those with Dementia, proposed.

“ Dementia care must be part of the formal training requirements for doctors, nurses and aged care workers;
Aged care providers must demonstrate they are competent in caring for older Australians with dementia;
Providers must appoint dementia support leaders to ensure residents get the care they need;
Update the national building code to ensure new aged care homes are dementia friendly;
Recruit dementia support counsellors; and
Expand existing dementia carer dog programs.”

Underpinning all these recommendations is the urgent need for those caring for our ageing population to be appropriately supported both in their training and competence in their vital role of caring for our elderly loved ones. We look forward with optimism towards a new era in aged care.

Take the course.

PARKINSON’S AWARENESS MONTH

Fri, 07 May 2021 03:25:14 GMT

April was Parkinson’s Awareness month. Parkinson’s is a progressive, degenerative condition of the central nervous system. Its causes are unknown and a cure has not yet been found . Parkinson’s is more prevalent than many common cancers – including prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers in Australians over the age of 50.

Parkinson’s is complex, misunderstood and in some cases misdiagnosed. Parkinson’s affects people of all ages. The reality is that, in Australia alone, 5 Australians under 40 are diagnosed every day.

Parkinson’s impacts more than a person’s movement and speech. In fact, this disease has more than 50 symptoms – many invisible. These are called non-motor symptoms because they are not related to movement.

Being unseen, non-motor symptoms are often misunderstood and hard to talk about. Yet they can have a greater effect on relationships, social life and overall quality of life than the more obvious symptoms of Parkinson’s.

Here we expose the myths and realities of Parkinson’s by exploring unseen symptoms and unspoken issues.

SWALLOWING AND COMMUNICATION

Many people living with Parkinson’s imagine that they have more saliva than other people. While it seems to be the case, this is not true. The reason: Because everything slows down with Parkinson’s you don’t swallow unconsciously as often.

There are more than 30 muscles involved with swallowing and they all have to work together – like a domino effect. Salvia contains enzymes that can create skin problems and pain from the build-up which is not relieved by swallowing.

You may think that it’s a problem if your voice has become softer or you may believe there is nothing you can do to fix it.

However, a Parkinson’s NSW Registered Nurse can recommend exercises for your voice muscles which should be started straight after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s diagnosis – and then maintained.

You may not want to socially engage as your voice gets softer and you become frustrated when people ask: “What did you say?” or “Could you please speak up?”.

You may also tend to back away from social occasions where you have to eat in public because it’s embarrassing.

By exercising your voice, you can reduce swallowing problems and communication challenges, reconnect socially and generally enjoy a better quality of life.

You need to get on to your voice exercises ASAP and commit to them! Talking, singing and really projecting your voice when you use it are all very beneficial.

ADVICE

Shout or be without – exercise your voice.
“We will rock you!” – Turn up the radio and sing along to your favourite song.
Modify food to make it easier to swallow or have smaller, regular meals.
Join a choir or try some public speaking (maybe in church?)
Check out LSVT Loud – a speech treatment program tailored for people living with Parkinson’s.
Try laughing yoga.
Search for a voice exercise software application online or on your smart phone.
Request a call from a Parkinson’s NSW Registered Nurse to find an exercise solution for you. 1800 644 189

Love and Appreciation

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 23:06:07 GMT

The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance all over the world. People in many countries wear the poppy to remember those who died in war or are serving in the armed forces. In many countries, the poppy is worn on Armistice Day (11 November), but in Australia and New Zealand it is most commonly seen on Anzac Day, April 25.

We see Anzac Day as an annual opportunity to show our appreciation for those brave souls who fought for our freedom, often at great sacrifice to themselves and their families. In the 1980’s Anzac Day underwent a renaissance and more young people began attending services all round Australia and New Zealand. Many wear medals won by their grandparents or great-grandparents.

It reminds us too that our elderly loved ones who may not have been to war, have also made sacrifices for their families. If they are living in aged care or at home, a visit, a phone call, even a Skype or video call is so very much appreciated by them. Sometimes you might find they’re grumpy. Of course, we’d all be grumpy if our mind and/or body is not behaving like it used to when we were younger. They’re not grumpy with us, in most cases, they’re grumpy with themselves and losing the skills they once took for granted. Being able to eat and drink freely, is our most basic ‘skill’ next to breathing. The deterioration of this may mean they cannot enjoy the foods they grew up and prepared for and shared with their families.

On Anzac Day, let’s spare a thought for all our elderly loved ones who have also made sacrifices for the generations who follow them.

What’s Your Passion?

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 23:11:52 GMT

Yesterday I had the good fortune to be interviewed by a Healthcare Educator. Talking to her about our Safe Swallowing Education Course reminded me how much passion I still have after so many years (40 in fact!) of working as a speech pathologist.

Working in Aged Care is such a privilege. Supporting, not only the residents and their families but the staff who come to work, day in day out and make such an important difference to the lives of those they care for, never grows old. Not every day is easy for any of them. Things can change very quickly with our ageing loved ones.

I’m reminded by the Staff who have invested in themselves to update, refresh or learn anew, about the importance of swallowing safety, that one small suggestion in our Safe Swallowing Course can change a challenging situation into one of ease. The nurse in point was trying to convince a resident to eat her meal. She simply would ‘not co-operate’. Of course, she couldn’t be dragged to her meal or force fed.

The nurse who had just completed our Course realised that the television could be a distraction that prevented the lady from eating her meal, even though she was hungry. Within the 2 seconds it took to turn off the tv, this lady had spontaneously moved to the dining table and was happily eating her meal.

That’s just one of the suggestions in our Course that can empower staff to make everyone’s life easier.

Find out More

What people are saying about the Safe Swallowing Education Course

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 23:14:57 GMT

We’re grateful for the feedback we’ve had from aged care nurses, loved ones caring for their relatives, those wanting to support the aged care facility or nursing home their loved one is living in, personal care workers and anyone supporting the safety and well being of our elderly population who has been affected by a swallowing problem.

Thank you …

I have finished the course Thanks. It’s very good and sticks to point - that’s all we need to know in aged care. Karen B.

I have found the course to be very good and very interesting. It is very useful to have this certificate especially in the industry of aged care. I recommend the swallowing course to everyone.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you Deb S.

It was a great refresher course and clears up a lot of info for the PCW and hospitality workers who may be unaware. Thank you for running it. Chloe C.

Thank you Barbara. I have completed the Course. I found it very helpful and I am recommending that our Support Workers also do the course. Paula T.

I found the course very useful and it has taught me a great deal in dealing with swallowing difficulties. As I have a client with this issue. I feel very confident in what I learnt and this will help me a great deal.

Caroline S.

Thank you all. We love empowering others with vital swallowing safety education.

Soooooo much to do, sooooo little time

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 06:46:03 GMT

We’re all expected to fit a great deal into our everyday work life. In aged care the care, updating of new information and the mounting administrative tasks seems endless. How do we prioritise everything to cover all those bases? There’s no short answer. Dividing tasks into urgent and important, with urgent taking first place in the day seems to be one way to go.

Personally, I write down each evening before going to bed, the 6 most important things I must accomplish the next day. I put them in order of importance. I don’t move onto the next one until the previous one is completed. Of course, there will be unexpected interruptions and on the spot occurrences that interrupt the flow of the day, but my list always takes me back to order. Sometimes though others really can sort those things and they don’t all need my immediate attention. Delegation can be very useful. Micromanagement isn’t always necessary.

Looking at the resident or loved one from their perspective is always my top priority. What’s important to them? Sometimes it’s a very basic need, such as eating and drinking safely and comfortably. While those of us without any difficulties in those areas may not give it a thought, our loved ones with swallowing problems give it many, many thoughts each day.

Even the most highly trained nurse can benefit from a quick reminder about swallowing safety, especially the fairly recently revised food and fluid modifications set out by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI). We can never be too educated when it comes to our loved one’s safety and comfort in eating and drinking. Spare an hour to become 100% up to date, for the sake of those with swallowing challenges.

Such Sad News

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 23:06:46 GMT

A friend told me last night that the mother of her friend had choked and died. She was lamenting that the family had not been aware of what to look for with a swallowing problem. Such a terrible loss and one that could possibly have been prevented with a little knowledge.

I recall a resident I assessed in an aged care facility who had been put on a modified diet but had refused to follow the speech pathologist’s recommendations. That gentleman often visited the facility coffee shop with his family and ate hot chips. This of course put his health, and life, at risk. On three occasions, he choked. Apart from endangering his own life, the stress and distress on his family and the staff who saved his life, was horrific.

Of course, no one wants to eat differently, to lose their ability to eat exactly as they always have. It’s a grieving process when you have to make changes to such basic ‘entitlements’ such as eating. Those struggling with these changes need our love, support and empathy. If we have the background education and understanding of why changes to food and fluid consistencies are so vital, we can truly provide that support.

We can never have too much information to help us provide the absolute best care to a loved one or aged care facility resident.

Take the Course

Handling Overwhelm

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 23:11:11 GMT

We see a great deal of stress amongst the Aged Care sector, with many staff completely snowed under with the ever-increasing guidelines and regulations required to continue the care of our ageing population. Working in this sector myself, I see and hear their frustration in a career chosen for all the right reasons. They’re caring, sensitive, empathetic, aware and loving and represent the ideal professional you’d want to look after your loved one.

The emphasis on education regarding infection control, dementia, swallowing and the list goes on, is huge. There’s often a short time frame to have it all completed as well. Of course, all this information is vital to continuing to provide the highest quality care. It’s here we need to set a bit of a schedule to fit it all in, in the time required. You may or may not recall your high school days of having to complete assignments with a time frame. That may have been overwhelming as well. Perhaps the best way forward is to remain calm! Ideally.

We offer support for all staff taking our Safe Swallowing Education Course. We want the experience to be a gratifying one that is practical and can easily be applied to your loved one or the residents you care for. One of our recent Course graduates said this:

“I found the Course very useful and it has taught me a great deal in dealing with swallowing difficulties, as I have a client with this issue. I feel very confident in what I learnt and this will help me a great deal.“- Caroline S

Let us lighten your load with this vital education.

Take the Course

Targeted Application Proceeds From Appropriate Education

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 23:11:47 GMT

A recent article by Geoff Rip, Learning Strategy and Design Consultant in Aged Care Notes, Edition 9, February 23, 2021 highlighted the vital transfer of learning new skills, to the workplace. On the job competence is the ultimate aim of our Safe Swallowing Education Course. As he stated ‘Real learning takes place back on the job.’ I quote Geoff below in his approach to an effective education program. Feedback from our Safe Swallowing Education Course participants confirms that we are on that track.

“After considering many different labels and combinations, I (Geoff Rip) eventually settled on READY-SET-GO-SHOW:

READY relates to learner readiness (or mindset); it’s about getting ready for the next three phases.
SET indicates that the ‘learning event’ is intended to get participants appropriately ‘set up’ for Phase 3. It inherently implies that an important phase is to follow.
GO is a strong action word and is about going back to the workplace to apply new learning, learn from application and achieve beneficial results.
SHOW has a breadth of meaning, including ‘to present’ and ‘to prove’. It requires sharing of application and positive outcomes.

Ready-Set-Go-Show is a simple and credible description of the fundamental components of an effective training program and it is easily remembered and recalled.” Geoff Rip, Learning Strategy and Design Consultant

Thanks for your great model, Geoff.

Take the Course

Now I’ve got the Knowledge, Where Do I Start?

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:12:56 GMT

So, you’ve taken the step of upping or refreshing your skills by investing in some training. We often feel highly motivated and inspired and know now we can then make an even bigger difference in our day-to-day work tasks. For those who have children, just like parenting, we reflect on how we, ourselves were parented and say to ourselves, ‘No I won’t be parenting that way.’ or ‘I definitely will never say that to my child.’ How often though do we hear ourselves, or even our children saying something our parent or carer used to say to us? We then think ‘How did that happen?’

I’m afraid for most of us, ‘old habits die hard’.

How then can we stop ourselves from slipping back into old habits and start implementing the new skills we know can make an even bigger impact on our residents or loved ones whom we care so much about? Sometimes the stress of the day to get everything done or our lack of confidence in applying our new knowledge or a concern that others may think we’re over-reacting or too cautious, stop us from applying our new knowledge.

We need to be mindful that the new knowledge gained has usually been delivered by someone with years of very specialised knowledge and experience. Like a superhero, we need to be brave and step forward for the sake of those we care for. We’re sometimes their only advocate. Our elderly population deserves us using all the knowledge and experience we’ve acquired to provide the absolute best care for them, just as we would want in their situation.

Personally, I find that if I can take away and implement just one of the strategies I’ve learnt in a course I’ve taken, it empowers me. Once that one strategy has become a habit, I can add a second. For swallowing safety, simply asking about or observing any signs that there may be discomfort or something different with a person’s eating or drinking is a great start. Listen for coughing before, during or after a meal. Just making a point of being aware of that can make a huge difference to a resident’s wellbeing. Just start. One tiny observation at a time. With each resident. You’re on your way to making an even bigger difference in their world.

Two Parallel Journeys

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 23:15:18 GMT

It’s a hard decision to make when a loved one is at a point in their life when they need specialised care beyond what a family can offer. My own mother always told we three daughters to never, ever put her in a nursing home. Ever. Full stop. We never got to the point of having to make that decision, but many do.

Once that decision is made, two journeys begin. One journey for the resident with the full support, hopefully, of their family. A second journey for the Aged Care Facility. Both journeys can be fraught with challenges.

The journey for the family is, ideally, one where every family member is on the exact same page. Let’s not fool ourselves, this often is not the case. I’ve met husbands, sons, daughters etc many who each have their own differing opinions and expectations around the care of their loved one. Some, through no fault of their own, have no understanding of the ageing process or what is realistically involved in aged care living. They often react to situations rather than calmly responding, with thought and consideration, of what is going on. Of course, overseeing the care of a loved one, when a degree of control is removed from the family, is stressful and bound in emotions sometimes fuelled by feelings of guilt or conflict. Accepting the advice of those who are experienced in all the areas of health, nutrition, safe consumption of food and fluids, maintaining contact with family members and having appropriate social activities, can be a challenge for some relatives.

The parallel journey of course is taken by the Aged Care Facility staff. Their job is to navigate, not only the increasingly complex administrative side of nursing and the actual, ‘on the ground’ care of their residents but also the demands of the families themselves. The current COVID environment accentuates yet another layer to all this, with the ongoing level of care and support, not only for the residents but also the support our aged care workers themselves deserve.

Findings in the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care, has placed a huge spotlight on every facility; the public scrutinising every move that is made. Of course, there are enormous benefits to be had for the sector in their recommendations. All of this though has added even more layers of stress and work, to every facility manager and staff member. Education and access to the expertise allied health professionals offer has been one of those recommendations and has been lauded by the facilities I’ve been involved with.

For ageing residents or loved ones, eating or drinking a simple meal can be life-threatening. We can no longer just pass off a resident’s seemingly innocent cough, with a comment such as ‘Oh, they always cough like that.’ No. Coughing is one of the most easily recognised and obvious signs of a swallowing problem. Lucky for them that they’re coughing because that’s an alarm bell to us that something is not right. The more insidious danger is when a resident is silently aspirating. Silent aspiration is when the food or fluid silently slips into the airway, without any obvious signs. Food or fluid in the airways means the resident is heading for a lung infection, even pneumonia which can cause chest pain on breathing or coughing, confusion or changes in mental awareness. Hospitalization if needed, can cause further infection, further confusion and disorientation for the resident. No one wants that outcome.

With 40 years’ experience working in aged care facilities, speaking to hundreds of residents, staff and family members, I understand swallowing safety. Put your staff in the enviable position of having an up-to-date understanding and knowledge of what to look for and expect in caring for this basic function of the resident’s care, as well as the new international standards of food and fluid modifications (IDDSI). The small investment to ensure the safety of every resident, by empowering your staff with education, is well worth the investment.

Email for discounts to suit your staff numbers and I’ll respond personally. We have recently shifted our Safe Swallowing Education Course to a new, even easier to navigate platform. www.safeswallowing.com.au contact or support@safeswallowing.com.au

Caring for the Whole Person

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 00:38:02 GMT

The long awaited and eagerly anticipated Final Report from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will be released on February 26. There has been two years of enquiry into the state of Australia’s aged care sector. I think many parts of the world are likely to share similar issues.

Recommendations for wide reaching reform for Australia’s aged-care sector will be the outcome. We look forward to having upgraded foundations for an aged-care system that can better support older Australians in the following many years.

Part of that is a need for holistic, person-centred care in the aged care sector. We all want a system that helps all senior Australians thrive, both physically and mentally, in environments that meet all of their needs including those of safely managing every day to day activity; eating and drinking being no exception. Take the Course

Take the Course

Ever Had an Uncomfortable Feeling Caring For a Resident?

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 23:32:01 GMT

Many times, when assessing a resident, a care worker or nurse will tell me they just have a feeling that something is not quite right when a resident is eating. As we chat further to clarify what their concern may be, sometimes it’s articulated exactly. But sometimes it’s a feeling that can’t be explained specifically.

With their experience of working in aged care for whatever period it may be, they’ve developed a wonderfully beneficial higher faculty of intuition. I would say 99 times out of 100, these ‘feelings’ are completely accurate. Something is just not quite right with the resident’s ability to swallow safely. Intuition is based on a combination of experience and knowledge. The combination of these 2 factors greatly improves the confidence we have in caring for our wonderful elderly population.

Take the Course

Knowledge is Power ….

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 03:20:15 GMT

I was speaking to an Aged Care Facility Manager the other day. He was booking in a large number of staff to our Safe Swallowing Education Course. His concern was that perhaps the Course may lead some staff to make decisions beyond their background and knowledge. Information is definitely power, but it is vital that we know our own limits and seek or follow professional advice in all situations where a resident’s wellbeing may be at risk.

Our Safe Swallowing Course most definitely reinforces that staff members follow professional advice or refer the resident for a full swallowing assessment. It arms them with knowing what to look for to make an appropriate referral. The safety of our residents is always first and foremost in our minds.

Take the Course

A Tiny Amount of Time

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 03:31:52 GMT

Dr Julie Bajic Smith of Wise Care recently commented about a big myth regarding wellbeing later in life. She said many believe that only certain professionals can ‘fix’ a person’s wellbeing. Her mission for 2021 is to dispel this illusion. I think in any human interaction, with any level of education, we, as a collective can have an enormous impact on the lives of those around us.

In aged care, amongst the hectic schedule of tasks that must be completed within a single shift, taking a few minutes to sit and ask a resident ‘How are you going today?’ can have a deep impact on their wellbeing. I have the luxury of allocating a significant amount of time when conducting a swallowing assessment at an aged care facility. This allows me to get to know the resident and find the best way to manage their swallowing issue. People’s life stories are endlessly interesting. Taking a small amount of time to let them know you are interested can change a person’s entire day.

Find out More

Blowing My Own Trumpet

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 23:20:38 GMT

I’ve spoken before about the absolute privilege it is to work with aged care staff. I love that education, in my case education about swallowing safety, empowers people whose job skills consequently, also become empowered. Recently many of those staff, after completing our Safe Swallowing Education Course, were generous enough to give us feedback. Here are just a short few:

“The Safe Swallowing Course is very good and sticks to the point of all that we need to know in aged care.”

“I have found the Course to be very good and very interesting. It is very useful to have this certificate (Course completion Certificate) especially in the industry of aged care. I recommend the swallowing course to everyone.” and

“It was a great refresher course for nursing staff and clears up a lot of info for the personal care worker and hospitality workers who may be unaware. Thank you for running it.”

Take the Course

What A Massive Privilege

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:32:30 GMT

This week, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to a number of age care nurses and carers who’ve taken our Safe Swallowing Education Course. My gosh what a fantastic bunch of people they are!

I noticed in chatting to them, a sense of overload but not overwhelm, a sense of humour in spite of the pressures they are all under, a sense of focussing on the best rather than being overwhelmed by their present reality. One, whilst chatting to me, was looking after her young grandson whom I could hear happily babbling in the background. It was evident both were relishing the day together. Another was surrounded by and caught up in the contagion of the laughter of colleagues in the background.

Over-worked, under immense pressure – both without a doubt, but exuding patience, kindness, fun, love, not letting the former that take over their lives. Thank you all so much for the wonderful work you do. Please keep looking after yourselves as well.

Take the Course

We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 07:39:13 GMT

Working for over 40 years in aged care facilities and seeing literally hundreds of residents and the staff who care for them is an absolute joy. Ensuring the resident is safe and comfortable eating a diet that is as closely akin to the food they have enjoyed their whole life is a great privilege.

Equally satisfying in my role is to empower nursing and care staff to continue to provide the utmost care and attention to each and every resident they look after. That’s not always an easy task. Most days they are faced with too many tasks needing to be completed in too few hours.

None of us knows what we don’t know. Taking tailored education aimed at providing, in the most convenient and cost effective form, information you or your staff may not already know or that may have become buried amongst all the other things you need to know, is an easy course of action. Don’t let a tiny time investment stand in the way of continuing to offer the best care. Swallowing safety is a basic right for all residents. Organise Safe Swallowing Dysphagia Education for your facility. Discounts apply for facilities.

Take the Course

A BIG door swings on a little hinge

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 07:12:41 GMT

I love that saying. Just yesterday I chatted to an aged care worker who had just begun our Safe Swallowing Education Course. She had only done the first small section of the Course but had applied what she’d learnt to a dementia ward mealtime.

Both staff and residents relaxed, happy and nourished.

I LOVE hearing these stories. A small adjustment benefiting what is a common and can become a difficult situation. Well done to that nurse.

Take the Course

Looking Forward to the Upcoming Festivities

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 05:54:12 GMT

Whether or not you and your family celebrate Christmas itself, December/January is a time of multiple public holidays for much of the world. Amongst every culture, food is a must for inclusion, no matter the celebration. Special, traditional dishes signify the various focuses of that celebration, whether it be a cake for a birthday, a turkey for Thanksgiving, potato pancakes at Hanukkah or dumplings for good luck at Chinese New Year.

Just as important as the celebration, is an awareness of those of us living with swallowing difficulties. We’re fortunate indeed that those residents or loved ones can be aided by food or fluid modifications. Not being aware of those modifications or ignoring those suggested by a speech pathologist can quickly change a festive occasion into a distressing one. Let’s let everyone celebrating at this time of the year, fully enjoy every delightful moment and mouthful.

Find out more Take the Course

A Year to be …

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 03:50:55 GMT

I don’t think anyone who knows me well, would describe me as a Pollyanna. One of my sisters for sure, has always tended to look at the world through rose coloured glasses. With a science background, I always thought she should have a more realistic approach to functioning in the real world.

Whilst nothing happening this year around the world, could possibly be downplayed, there are so many things that people are finding to be grateful for. Me too. And it wasn’t at all hard to spot them. Although my relationship with technology has previously been a bit ambivalent, I am eternally grateful for it; my world and reach about my passion for swallowing safety with our elderly has expanded. Plugging into this amazingly supportive Aged Care community has opened my eyes to others’ passions and willingness to share on so many levels. To those of you who are front-line, working with our elderly population, what a job you do. I’m so deeply grateful for 2020, warts and all. Thank you all for a year to be … grateful.

It’s Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 07:39:11 GMT

I’ve been out gift buying… thinking about family and friends … what Christmas will mean this year. Every year, we want to make it special and every year it really is. It’s a time of the year I personally love. It’s a chance to catch up with those we’re close to … to chat and laugh and find out about all the happenings from the year as it draws to a close.

Whether we celebrate Christmas or not, those few public holidays often give an opportunity to catch up with those close to our heart. Food is an integral part of all celebrations and get togethers. So often I see families bring food from home to a resident in an aged care facility. Sometimes when they know I’m coming, they’ll hide it in a drawer in case I say it’s not suitable for their loved one. One time, after modifying a resident’s diet and unfortunately suggesting that some of the food lovingly cooked at home wasn’t suitable for him, the family suggested no longer visiting because it would cause too much distress, visiting but not bringing any homecooked food.

That’s not what we want! We just want the resident to be safe… to enjoy family visits… to eat food lovingly made and to have all that appropriately managed. Education, as always, is the key. I hope you enjoy the lead up to this special time of the year.

Take the Course

My Hat’s Off to a New Staff Member

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 07:12:21 GMT

I was recently asked to assess the swallowing function of a dainty and engaging resident at an aged care facility. Her care worker was alert to the fact that she was holding food in her mouth a little too long, before swallowing. Although new to that facility, the carer worker had been working elsewhere and had a solid understanding of swallowing safety.

Even though the sign was a subtle one, he had a feeling that something just wasn’t quite right. Lo and behold, he was ‘spot on’. The resident only needed a minor alteration to her food consistencies to enable her to swallow more easily, without any need to delay her swallow by holding onto the food. She was visibly relieved to now comfortably eat her meal.

My hat’s off to the care worker who was obviously chuffed at recognising this subtle sign of mild dysphagia. Education is not only empowering but essential in this basic function of daily living.

Take the Course

A Story of Contrasts

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 23:19:14 GMT

When endeavouring to increase people’s awareness and understanding of the risks of eating and drinking food and fluids not suitable to their current swallowing function, I’ve been met with vastly different responses.

One, with many years’ experience in aged care, reported only ever seeing one resident choke. This was apparently due to the resident ‘stuffing her mouth with wafers’. The other end of the scale was reported by a facility manager whose staff have been devastated by a similar incident and who have been on an earnest search for education to support their staff, to avoid any recurrence of this kind.

A little about me ….

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 04:07:02 GMT

Once I knew what speech pathology as a career actually was, I knew it was for me. A career where you could work with children, adults and other professionals. Perfect! When I started working in speech pathology, I welcomed every opportunity to help any client who came my way.

I learnt so much in my first government position. Once I started my family, I began to work only with children, by myself initially. Once someone else joined me, we had the luxury to also work in aged care. We could then work with the whole family. The importance of including this wonderful generation of our elders and other care professionals whose job is so vital and who have not always chosen the easiest career path, has been a wonderfully enriching experience. Our primary aim is always to ensure every one of our clients is safe and functioning at their absolute potential, regardless of their age and current abilities.

Just imagine … gulp, cough, gulp, cough, cough …

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 07:10:12 GMT

Around one million Australians have a swallowing difficulty. Our elderly loved ones swallow too, not only their meals and fluids but medications as well. They are at higher risk of a swallowing problem.

Working in Aged Care is both rewarding and challenging. Choking is amongst the top 3 causes of death in Aged Care Facilities. The more we know about swallowing safety, the more comfortable we feel in caring for the elderly. Learn more www.safeswallowing.com.au

My Mother Used to Say....

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 06:52:16 GMT

My Mother used to say, ‘When you go grey, you become invisible.’ She felt the value and presence of our ageing generation diminished as you grew older. That was nearly a decade ago now, but I think things have changed since then. The older generation is far more in the spotlight now, with a large focus on aged care. We’ve become increasingly aware of the wonderful initiatives being implemented in our aged care facilities, not only to ensure their safety but also that their quality of life continues and their value is recognised. I see wonderful stories of the incredible obstacles our elderly has overcome and their wise advice to the younger generation. Whether we’re an aged care worker, relative or friend, we want to convey our appreciation to them. They haven’t disappeared in our eyes.

www.safeswallowing.com.au #agedcare #agedcarefacilities #agedcareeducation

Knowledge and Understanding Reduce Carer Stress

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 23:20:21 GMT

The October issue of Aged Care Insite reported on a new program aimed at helping people with dementia live well at home. This program is a multi-visit tailored intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia.

An important part of any homebased program involves training family members to better provide specialised care to loved ones. Carers report higher levels of wellbeing including greater ability to manage day-to-day caregiving and understand their loved one’s behaviour. This helps address feelings of stress and overload on both sides.

Food from Home

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 06:56:50 GMT

Everyone loves a home cooked meal; many dishes tied into our culture and a big part of our growing up. For the many residents who have settled in Australia, moving away from their place of birth, food is the biggest connection to their homeland. I know that congee, a thick, Asian rice soup is often associated with convalescing, making the consumer feel instantly better. It’s harder in the current environment for these foods to be allowed in Aged Care facilities. Many facilities however are working with families and speech pathologists to have modified, culturally appropriate foods that both bring back those memories and are safe for the resident. This is a great direction.

Collaboration is Key

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 05:47:37 GMT

Sometimes, I know circumstances lead to speech pathology advice, regarding modifications to a resident’s diet, being over-ridden. We make a relatively brief visit to the facilities, assess the resident, give advice and then off we go.

We’re not a part of the daily routine, of the bigger picture of that resident’s life within their environment. We may not always see the family in that context, nor the day to day interactions of that resident with staff and carers.

We advise about the safety of that resident at the time we assessed them. It goes beyond that visit though. We know that to successfully maintain the diet and safety for each resident, all of those involved with them, need to be on the same page. We work in with the nursing staff, care workers, dietitians, GP, kitchen staff and family, to ensure everyone has the same understanding of the consequences of deviating from the advice given. Everyone needs education.

Find out more Take the Course

But they’re very careful when eating.

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 05:35:24 GMT

I completely understand concerned relatives of the elderly wanting everything to remain the same for them. We all like continuity. It keeps us at ease. The elderly has a lot to contend with as they navigate their body changing over time. Many find themselves overwhelmed with a variety of health issues. The challenges also affect those caring for the loved one and the families.

When we assess the swallowing function, we aim to keep the resident or loved one being cared for at home, on a diet that is as close to their present one as possible. Paramount in our minds too is, of course, the safety of the loved one.

As careful as anyone might be when eating or drinking, the vital part of the swallowing mechanism, is actually completely involuntary . Unfortunately, it just won’t matter how very careful you are eating or drinking, if your swallowing mechanism has deteriorated, that meal may well head straight to your lungs. Food or fluid shouldn’t go there. And it causes serious issues such as choking or an infection like pneumonia; these 2 incidents being amongst the top 3 causes of death in the elderly. Sorry to be blunt.

Education about Safe Swallowing is one of the basic aspects of duty of care in the elderly.

Learn more about cost effective, online education. Take the Course

‘Oh they always cough like that.’

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 07:47:09 GMT

Sometimes when assessing a resident at an aged care facility, I’ll hear another resident coughing during or after their meal. When I ask a staff member or relative if the resident is ok, I more often than not, get the answer ‘Oh, they always do that.’

Coughing is the body’s way of protecting the airway from substances that are heading to the lungs, but shouldn’t be. The fact that someone ‘always does that’ doesn’t mean it’s ok. In fact, it’s one of the danger signs of a swallowing problem.

Choking is one of the top 3 causes of death in our elderly population. Aspiration pneumonia can occur when food or fluid has gone into the lungs instead of the stomach. This infection can lead to hospitalisation and, in the worst case, can be deadly.

Keeping our elderly safe and comfortable when eating and drinking, is easier than you think. We just need the right education.

Find out more Take the Course

Food Refusal

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 02:25:55 GMT

She wasn’t refusing food because she had lost the capability to eat. Nor was she not hungry. She just needed a very extended amount of time to swallow each mouthful. She knew no other way to communicate that message other than clenching her mouth shut. It would have been easy to misunderstand her non-verbal behaviour and incorrectly assume she was unable to eat. This may have led to a discussion about palliative care.

Knowing what to look for and how to interpret what is going on, especially with non-verbal residents, is essential for our care of them. Find out more www.safeswallowing.com.au

It’s Amazing that such a Little Known Fact could cause such a Devastating Effect

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 23:31:09 GMT

Working in Aged Care, you would realise that, amongst the top three most common causes of death in aged care facilities, is choking . Of those presenting with a swallowing difficulty (known also as Dysphagia), in 75% of cases, there is no ‘bodily siren’ of coughing, warning of impending danger. This is known as Silent Aspiration . For some then, there are absolutely no symptoms or external warning signs of aspiration. The food or drink is heading straight for the lungs and you just cannot tell.

Don’t risk a lack of understanding about Safe Swallowing and what you need to know to care for those who may be at risk of choking or silent aspiration.

Ensuring Aged Care Staff have the right tools to identify this danger is a vital part of our important role in caring for the elderly. As a speech pathologist with 35 years’ experience in this training, I'm offering my online Safe Swallowing Education Course which is cost effective and completed in an hour. Facility managers are advised who has completed the Course and participants receive a Certificate of Completion.

Take the Course

Not every cough is COVID

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:01:09 GMT

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not diminishing the possibility that a cough may be a symptom of COVID. I’m not a doctor. I do however have 35 years of experience as a speech pathologist, assessing the swallowing function of many, many hundreds, if not thousands, of elderly residents in aged care facilities or being looked after at home.

Caring for our elderly is a big responsibility. Coughing during, immediately or some time after any oral intake, can and frequently does represent a swallowing issue, also known as Dysphagia. The cough is the body’s protective mechanism to stop whatever was consumed from heading into the airways. We definitely don’t want food or fluid in the airways because it can cause choking, infection even life-threatening pneumonia.

No one wants any of those outcomes.

Knowing what to look for to help identify a swallowing problem is essential in caring for our elderly population. Swallowing issues can be managed. Education is such an easy step to take.

Why not take it now, to reduce your worry or doubt. Take the Course

You’d be surprised

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 23:29:48 GMT

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.

Find this vital information - Take the Course

Not so obvious

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 23:29:16 GMT

Almost everyone at some time, has experienced food or drink ‘going down the wrong way’. That feeling and subsequent coughing fit, isn’t fun at all. As unpleasant as that coughing is, it’s the body’s protective mechanism to stop whatever you’ve swallowed going into your airway and down to your lungs. Food obviously doesn’t belong there because food in the lungs can cause an infection or pneumonia.

For well over half of our elderly population with a compromised swallowing function, there are NO OUTWARD SIGNS that the food or drink ‘has gone down the wrong way’. The food simply SILENTLY heads down to the lungs and sits there until the resident becomes ill.

Education about Safe Swallowing is essential in caring for our elderly population, in Aged Care or at home.

Find this vital information - Take the Course

Good News

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 02:33:44 GMT

Ever had a Coughing Fit whilst Eating?

Being sure family and aged care staff know the signs of a swallowing problem and how best to support the person who has had a stroke, is a vital part of their role in caring for their loved one or resident. Learn more by taking the Course.

Click on Take the Course

Really Enjoying Morning Tea

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 08:01:12 GMT

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.

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.

Easily update your knowledge at Take the Course

It’s Amazing that such a Little Known fact could Cause such a Devastating Effect.

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 23:39:37 GMT

Working in Aged Care, you would realise that, next to falls, choking is the 2nd most common cause of death in ACFs. Having the right tools to identify this danger is a vital part of our important role in caring for the elderly. As a speech pathologist with 35 years experience in this training, I've been overwhelmed by the number of aged care staff recently, who have been seeking this information, struggling each day with residents' swallowing issues. Don't overlook learning about this often silent danger. Take the Course

Looking forward to increasing awareness of this little known fact.

Loss of Dignity?

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 05:40:10 GMT

I had a resident’s relative say to me the other day that it was such a loss of dignity having a modified diet for her mother. After my assessment, her diet had been modified to a soft and bite sized consistency and very mildly thickened liquid. Not much of a change from my perspective, but a significant one from the daughter’s. I could understand where she was coming from.

I remember my own mother saying, when it had been suggested we have a carer come into her home to ensure she was safe bathing and doing some small household chores for her, ‘This is the beginning of the end then, isn’t it.’

It felt good knowing she was relieved there was something that could help her. Understanding swallowing difficulties takes the pressure off you as a carer.

Click on Take the Course

Do You Work with the Elderly?

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 06:32:43 GMT

Do You Work with the Elderly?

Yours is an incredibly special and demanding career, with predictably unpredictable events happening on every shift. The range of issues in our ageing population is forever increasing as the largest generation ever, the Baby Boomers, finds its way from independent living to home care, to residential aged care or to high care.

Putting aside general health issues such as heart disease, stroke, neurological disease and the like, Dementia alone affects almost 50 million people worldwide and this is predicted to increase to 131.5 million people by 2050. Every three seconds someone in the world develops Dementia . In Australia alone, Dementia is the single greatest cause of disability in older Australians (aged 65 years or older) and the third leading cause of disability burden overall. People with Dementia account for 52% of all residents in residential aged care facilities.

On the ground, there is little more personally distressing than witnessing your ageing loved one slowly slipping away from family members with this insidious disease.

● Spitting food out of their mouth

● Taking longer to eat than most residents

● Excessive tongue movement or excessive saliva in their mouth

Click on Take the Course

Ever had a coughing fit whilst eating?

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 02:44:36 GMT

Ever had a Coughing Fit whilst Eating?

Having a coughing fit whilst eating isn’t any fun at all - for the person coughing or the people around them. In those circumstances we, as 'spectators', do our best to help the distressed person and after a while things usually settle down. I recall a good friend profusely coughing at a restaurant one night, having just eaten multiple hot chillies. She did recover, completely undeterred from eating more chillies into the night.

Sometimes, things do go amiss and there is no ‘bodily siren’ , warning of impending danger. This is known as Silent Aspiration . For some, in fact up to 75% of those with swallowing difficulties, there are absolutely no symptoms or external warning signs of aspiration. The food or drink is heading straight for the lungs and no one knows.

Don’t risk a lack of understanding about Safe Swallowing and what else you need to know to care for those who may be at risk of silent aspiration.

Click on Take the Course

Are You Caring for an Elderly Parent?

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 23:55:50 GMT

Are You Caring for an Elderly Parent?

In an age where many of us work well towards and even past the previously accepted retirement age, the pressure to be and do everything for everyone in our family, seems to grow with every day. Many of us are sandwiched between two generations of caring for our ageing parents and looking after our grandchildren. Add to that the likely scenario of also working full or part time and we wonder how it can be possible to provide the best care and support all round, whilst ensuring we maintain an even keel for ourselves.

Of course, we want to ensure our parents age safely and are surrounded by the love and very best care we can offer. This can place an enormous additional strain on us. Sometimes we are simply unsure of what is ‘normal’ in the ageing process and what we should be concerned about.

Please trust me, it’s not ok.

About Swallowing Difficulties

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 00:18:31 GMT

Swallowing Difficulties affect up to 1 in 25 adults

With each swallow we hold our breath for around one second to make sure the food or drink travels down the correct tube to the stomach rather than the lungs. Swallowing uses 26 muscles and many nerves to coordinate the split-second timing needed to safely swallow. Mistimed movements can lead to food or drink ‘going down the wrong way’’.

As we age, this reflex can deteriorate due to a number of conditions such as illness, damage to the brain or structures of the head and neck. Almost half of everyone who has had a stroke will have a swallowing problem. People who have had a head injury, those with Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease, dementia, cancer of the head and neck may also have swallowing problems.

IMPACT

The impact of having a swallowing problem is far reaching, not only for the person themselves but for their family and friends. Eating and drinking is an important part of everyday life. Not only do we need to eat and drink to live, but eating and drinking should be an enjoyable pastime and many social activities happen around eating and drinking.

Dysphagia Care Plan

https://www.asha.org/PRPSpecificTopic.aspx?folderid=8589942550&section=Incidence_and_Prevalence

https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Carers Course Online

The good news is that people who seek professional help can work on ways of eating and drinking that can reduce or remove these problems.

IDDSI

The wonderful work of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) outlines the various levels of food and liquid modifications recommend for those with swallowing problems so they can swallow safely. This online course explains the dietary guidelines and how to identify a possible swallowing difficulty. https://www.safeswallowing.com.au/take-the-course

International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative

mark.ryan@quantumdigital.com.au (Mark Ryan) — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:00:00 GMT

IDDSI is an international collaboration of professionals who developed a standardized framework for labeling texture-modified foods and thickened liquids. The framework is designed to avoid the confusion created by variable terminology and definitions to describe modified diets around the world. The effort is expected to improve the safety and care for all individuals with dysphagia, across all cultures.

https://www.asha.org/SLP/healthcare/International-Dysphagia-Diet-Standardisation-Initiative/

https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2020/05/time-for-a-technological-revolution-in-aged-care/

Reposted from Aged Care Insite - https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/patients-and-caregivers/

Reposted from Aged Care Insite

https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2020/05/palliative-care-aus-calls-for-more-funds-cites-huge-savings-potential/

https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/my-failed-swallow-a-disability-not-a-mindset/

IDDSI April e-bite

mark.ryan@quantumdigital.com.au (Mark Ryan) — Thu, 28 May 2020 07:19:32 GMT

https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/the-gaffigans-raise-awareness-of-swallowing-disorders/

As mentioned in the IDDSI April e-bite, staying at home has allowed them to work on updating and “refreshing” a number of their resources for you to use for your IDDSI implementation. A number of these updates were made to clarify their recommendations regarding the framework and testing methods; these were made in response to questions from the global community. IDDSI appreciates these questions to help determine where some clarification may be needed.

We are happy to report that the updated the IDDSI flow test card, testing reference card and large all "at a glance" posters have been uploaded in the Resources section of our website:

Some IDDSI testing videos have been updated and they can be found on the IDDSI Testing Methods playlist

The IDDSI Australian Steering Committee has released the Australian Project Officer report, which documents the way Australia went about the IDDSI implementation journey, together with some metrics.

https://ftp.iddsi.org/Documents/Australian_IDDSI_Project_Officer_Final_Report_12Sept2019.pdf