Dysphagia impacts much more than just a person's ability to eat and swallow properly. It can impact every aspect of the person's life, from their ability to be independent to their opportunities to go out and have fun with friends and family. This far-reaching impact can be challenging, but there are some solutions available that can help. Some of the challenges those with dysphagia can experience include the following.
Being Able to Eat Healthy Meals
Mealtimes often become stressful for those who have dysphagia, and many will eat less to reduce their discomfort or to help prevent choking on food. This can lead to malnutrition and weight loss, as their dietary needs may not be being met anymore. However, SimplyThick has options that can help with this, including food thickeners that can make it easier and safer to eat meals at home. This can be a great way to make it easier to eat more nutritious meals and stay healthy.
Safety Risks While Eating
Those with dysphagia are at risk of aspiration when they eat, which can lead to safety risks such as choking, recurring infections, or pneumonia. It is important for them to make sure they have help in place when eating and that they have a safe way to eat healthy meals to reduce potential safety risks. Food thickeners are one way to help make it safer to eat when someone has dysphagia, though there are other potential solutions that can help, too, like therapy.
Social Challenges
It can be incredibly difficult to eat out for those who have dysphagia, which can lead to social isolation. They may avoid dining out with family and friends or feel isolated when they are getting together with others because they have challenges while eating. This can lead to feelings of sadness, frustration, and more. It can also lead to more serious mental health concerns, such as depression, that can impact their daily life.
Challenges With Independence
It can be challenging to be independent when simple tasks are harder to do. Those with dysphagia may need a caretaker to help them throughout the day when they need to eat meals, take medications, and more. Though this is designed to help keep them safe and ensure they have the help they need when they need it, many will feel they have lost some of their independence and may start to suffer from low self-esteem.
Ways to Get Help
There are numerous solutions available to help those with dysphagia, including diet modifications, therapy and exercises, and adaptive tools to help make eating and drinking more comfortable. It is important for those with dysphagia to work with their medical team and other medical professionals to get the support they need to be able to assess their condition, work on treating any underlying issues, and make sure they are able to eat healthy without worrying as much about their safety.
If you're suffering from dysphagia, there are a number of things that can help you lead a more normal life. From food thickeners to therapy and assistance, it's possible to be safer while eating, enjoy going out again, and do more to improve your life. Look into these and other solutions today to learn more about how they can help make your future brighter.