What is best practice for feeding a resident with swallowing difficulties?

What is best practice for feeding a resident with swallowing difficulties?

• A. Offer thin liquids with no regard to swallowing safety.
• B. Provide small, slow bites; sit the resident upright; monitor for coughing; follow prescribed dietary modifications (e.g., thickened liquids) as ordered.
• C. Use forceful feeding to ensure meals are completed.
• D. Encourage large bites to finish quickly and feed while lying flat.

Answer: (B)

Safely feeding someone with swallowing difficulties means protecting the airway and supporting a controlled swallow. The best approach is to give small, slow bites and allow ample time to chew and swallow, while keeping the resident upright and well-supported throughout the meal. An upright position helps gravity guide the bolus and reduces the chance that liquid or food enters the airway. Watch closely for signs of trouble—coughing, throat clearing, or a changes in voice during or after swallowing—and pause feeding if these occur. Follow any prescribed dietary changes, such as thickened liquids or altered textures, because these modifications are designed to make swallowing safer and easier. Rushing meals, taking large bites, feeding while lying down, or using thin liquids when thicker ones are prescribed all raise the risk of choking or aspiration and should be avoided.

Safely feeding someone with swallowing difficulties means protecting the airway and supporting a controlled swallow. The best approach is to give small, slow bites and allow ample time to chew and swallow, while keeping the resident upright and well-supported throughout the meal. An upright position helps gravity guide the bolus and reduces the chance that liquid or food enters the airway. Watch closely for signs of trouble—coughing, throat clearing, or a changes in voice during or after swallowing—and pause feeding if these occur. Follow any prescribed dietary changes, such as thickened liquids or altered textures, because these modifications are designed to make swallowing safer and easier. Rushing meals, taking large bites, feeding while lying down, or using thin liquids when thicker ones are prescribed all raise the risk of choking or aspiration and should be avoided.