At Hestia Health, we are joining World Dysphagia Day, a date dedicated to raising awareness of a disorder that affects millions of people and, despite being common, remains underdiagnosed.
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing food, drinks or even one’s own saliva. It can occur at any age, but is particularly common in older people and those with certain neurological or medical conditions. It can lead to serious complications such as malnutrition, dehydration or aspiration pneumonia, making early detection and an interdisciplinary approach essential.
How to recognise it:
The most common signs include:
– Coughing or throat-clearing during or after meals.
– Frequent choking.
– A hoarse voice when eating or drinking.
– Needing to swallow the same mouthful several times.
– Food remaining in the mouth or cheeks.
– Eating more slowly than usual.
To reduce risks, it is essential to adopt an appropriate eating posture and adapt food textures, among other practices. The downloadable document includes further advice on safe swallowing and basic guidance on responding to choking.
At Hestia Health, we promote early detection of dysphagia and an appropriate response. We encourage ongoing training for our teams and implement good practices that contribute to safer care and a better quality of life for the people we support.