/Adjusted%202021%20Originals/DRCS%20Logo%20BrandMark%20Positive%20w%20Square%20BG%20Left%20Aligned%20PNG-min.png?width=95&height=99&name=DRCS%20Logo%20BrandMark%20Positive%20w%20Square%20BG%20Left%20Aligned%20PNG-min.png "DR Care Solutions | Your Care, Your Support, Your Way | Aged Care & Disability Care Consulting Services")
Holiday festivities often focus on beautifully-presented, plentiful food. Be watchful though of older family members as they enjoy the feasts.
© Danielle Robertson Consulting Pty Ltd t/as DR Care Solutions
Where a family member has had a stroke, is recovering from mouth and throat cancer treatment, or is living with a neurological condition such as dementia or Parkinson's Disease, we need to be aware of the condition called dysphagia.
Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty with swallowing.
There are 50 pairs of muscles and many nerves involved in eating food, from the mouth to the stomach. Dysphagia occurs when there is a problem with those muscles or nerves.
The problem can bring on the coughing up of food and saliva, and pain and discomfort.
More seriously, aspirational pneumonia can develop as a result of food bacteria entering into the lungs. Also, abnormal pockets can form in the oesophageal wall, with these pockets collecting undigested food which, when lying down, can enter the lungs.
Two tips straight up
Two easy tips for helping an elderly guest avoid swallowing difficulties is to:
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Serve smaller portions (consider softer foods) to discourage them from eating too fast, and
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Cut up the food into smaller portions to help with chewing and digestion.
Where the swallowing difficulty occurs on a regular basis, organise a visit to the GP and have it investigated.
Dealing with the condition in the longer term
Consider pureeing the food and preparing 'dysphagia-friendly' recipes. Or call on a food delivery service, like Care Food Co that specialises in preparing such meals.
Some delicious recipes for you from textured food chef, Amanda Orchard
In a recent blog[1], we spoke of the wonderful work of Maggie Beer and her Foundation.
The Maggie Beer Foundation's mission is
"to provide the pleasure of a good food life for all, regardless of age or health restrictions".
Through Maggie and her Foundation, we have come across Amanda Orchard[2], the founder of Texture Modified Food Solutions[3].
As Chef Manager at an aged care facility in Western Australia, Amanda developed a passion for improving the quality of life of her residents through food. She experimented with simple ways of ensuring great taste, colour and appearance in the food made for those residents.
She later founded Texture Modified Food Solutions to generously share her recipes and methods. Her passion has led to international recognition as an innovator, bringing dignity and beauty to textured cuisine.
Take a look at some of the appetising recipes[4] developed by Amanda, or consider signing up to one of her workshops[5] via the Maggie Beer Foundation.
Call in help
If you do not have the energy to whip up Amanda's delicious looking Moroccan Roast Pumpkin & Chickpea Soup with Beetroot Sour Cream[6], consider calling the home delivery service Care Food Co.
Care Food Co[7] was founded by three men, two of whom are brothers, to help a family member living with dysphagia as a result of a stroke.
The business is pure genius for those Australians living at home and living with dysphagia. The business delivers meals that are ranked according to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation initiative 2019[8].
Meal costs are reasonable, with a seven-day meal pack (of seven main meals) delivered for $70. They currently deliver to homes throughout NSW, ACT, Victoria, South Australian and Queensland, though not Western Australia or Northern Territory. We have personally sampled some of the foods and were pleasantly surprised at the colour, taste and texture of the samples.
Note: The opinions in this blog are not to be relied on as medical advice. Please see your GP for medical advice. Mentions of businesses are made independently. DR Care Solutions holds no commercial relationship with those businesses.
Needing care assistance for your loved one? Please feel free to call me, Danielle Robertson, at any time during the holiday season, for an initial discussion on how to set up the right care, support and assistance at the right time and in the right place.
Resources
[1] DR Care Solutions: Aged Care Nutrition: Maggie Beer Rescues Aged Care Home Menu
[2] Maggie Beer Foundation: Texture Modified Vegetables - Thinking Outside The Box
[3] Textured Foods
[4] Textured Foods: Recipes
[5] Maggie Beer Foundation: Education Programs
[6] Textured Foods: Recipe - Moroccan Roast Pumpkin & Chickpea Soup with Beetroot Sour Cream
[7] Care Food Co
[8] International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) Framework. The IDDSI Framework standardises the naming and description of modified foods and thickened liquids for people with dysphagia.
