Making Mealtime Easier: Nutrition and Texture in Foods for the Elderly with Swallowing Difficulties in Formal and Informal Care

TL;DR

This study focuses on improving mealtime for elderly people with swallowing difficulties by developing texture-modified diets that are safe and nutritious.

Contribution

The study introduces new rheological data for foods in Portugal and evaluates water quality's impact on texture during cooking.

Findings

Rheological properties of common Portuguese foods for elderly dysphagia patients were developed.

Water quality was found to influence food texture during cooking.

Texture-modified diets were created to meet nutritional needs in care settings.

Abstract

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a significant issue that impacts 10% to 33% of the elderly population and can lead to serious complications such as aspiration, malnutrition, and weight loss. To overcome these obstacles, there is a critical need for comprehensive rheological data and detailed information on food texture, specifically designed to align with local eating habits and cooking methods. This study aims to develop tables of rheological properties for foods commonly consumed by older adults in Portugal. Additionally, it will assess the impact of water quality on these properties during the cooking process. Based on this data, we will develop texture-modified diets that meet the nutritional needs of elderly dysphagic patients, ensuring they are safe, palatable, and practical for everyday care settings.

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