31 May 2022
Throughout our Abbey Healthcare Family, nutrition and wholesome healthy meals for all, has been a top priority for us, especially for our residents who suffer from Dysphagia (swallowing disorder). Lead by our Group Catering Manager, Joanne Ankers and our team of chefs, we have been working in harmony with Robot Coupe whose IDDSI workshops have been amazing.
With hands on training, factual talks and advanced methods in creating soft to puree food, our chefs have increased their skills further by producing beautiful pipework dishes, from a full english breakfast, roast dinner, lemon meringue pie to pureed fresh fruits, just to name a few.
Dysphagia is estimated to affect 8% of the general population and each individual with this condition might experience trouble with: swallowing food or drinks, chewing, sucking, controlling saliva, taking medication, or protecting the airway from choking.
Having a swallowing disorder greatly impacts an individual’s quality of life and it can occur at any time during our lifespan, and may be short or long term. However, there are a number of strategies and treatments which are now used to help improve the safety, efficiency and enjoyment of the individual who suffers from this.
One of the most common ways of managing this disorder is the provision of texture modified foods (chopped, minced, pureed) and thickened liquids (thin and various thicknesses). With modified foods and drinks this helps to reduce the risk of choking and may be commonly referred to as a dysphagia diet.
Please click here for further information regarding IDDSI and dysphagia https://iddsi.org/