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Senior Living Executive: Managing Swallowing Disorders During COVID

A female healthcare professional sits at her desk and discusses Thick-It® brand food & beverage thickeners with a senior couple.

In a recent Senior Living Executive article titled “Managing Swallowing Disorders During COVID Takes Extra Effort,” Margaret Roche, MS, RD, CSG, CDCES, FAND, among other senior living experts, explains the chief challenges for senior living facilities managing swallowing disorders and how the global pandemic has increased those challenges.

“COVID has presented a whole new set of circumstances that require us to double down on our efforts to focus on our high priority residents … and residents with chewing and swallowing problems are certainly near the top of the list,” Roche says in the article. She also offers ways communities can meet the needs of those with chewing and swallowing problems, such as by “increasing the coordination of dining services and resident engagement programs to take full advantage of any opportunities to provide extra calories and hydration to residents.”

Read the full article here. For additional information, tools, and support for patients with dysphagia and their caregivers, visit our resources page.

 

Margaret Roche, MS, RD, CSG, CDE, FAND is the founder of Roche Dietitians and a nationally recognized leader in nutrition for healthcare. A champion for senior nutrition, she advocates for quality improvement with texture-modified diets and has trained thousands on IDDSI implementation.

Margaret’s opinions and advice are her own. Roche Dietitians has previously been compensated by Kent Precision Foods Group, Inc., producers of the Thick-It® brand family of products, for their research and industry insights.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition, treatment, or the use of Thick-It® products. The information contained herein is for informational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment in any manner.

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