Dysphagia
X
Download/Print (318kb pdf)

Tips for Careworkers:
Dysphagia

What it is: Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing. The person finds it difficult to swallow food or liquid, including medications in liquid or tablet form.

Why it matters: Dysphagia is common in older people and people in palliative care. Careworkers have an important role in supporting oral care and positioning of the person. Dysphagia can lead to:

  • poor nutrition
  • dehydration
  • aspiration (breathing a foreign object or liquid into an airway)
  • asphyxiation (lack of oxygen)
  • pneumonia.

What I need to know: Any changes to the normal function of the mouth, pharynx or larynx or oesophagus can cause dysphagia.

Dysphagia may be due to:

  • changes associated with ageing
  • the side effect of medication
  • treatment including radiation and chemotherapy for cancer.

Dysphagia is common in advanced or terminal illness. Dysphagia is also associated with neurological conditions particularly:

  • dementia
  • Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
  • Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
  • stroke.

Note

People providing meal time assistance should have received training in assisting people with swallowing problems and managing choking episodes.

 

Do

Look out for and report to nursing/supervisory staff if a person:

  • chokes when eating, drinking or taking medication
  • has the feeling of food sticking in the throat
  • dribbles or has food escaping from the mouth
  • coughs during or after eating, drinking or taking edication
  • eats or drinks very slowly
  • refuses food and fluids
  • doesn’t swallow food, fluids or medication but keeps it in the mouth.
 

Do

When someone is dying, their family can be upset that they are not eating or drinking. You can:

  • reassure the family
  • let them offer the person sips of water or if appropriate moisten the mouth with a wet swab.
 

My reflections:

 

Dysphagia is difficulty with what?
 

What are some of the signs I should look out for and report to nursing/supervisory staff?

See related palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets:

Advance Dementia

Nutrition and Hydration

Oral Care

 

For references and the latest version of all the Tip Sheets visit Practice Tip sheets for careworkers

 

CareSearch is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Updated July 2022

Flinders University logo