Alfred Health News

With a high rate of swallowing difficulties amongst hospitals' aged care patient group, two Caulfield Hospital researchers are looking at the use of thickened water to reduce choking and coughing and to avoid dehydration.

Principal researchers - senior dietitian Joanna Peter and speech pathologist Clare Douglas - were awarded a Caulfield Hospital small project grant to carry out the research, which aims to better tackle the problem of dysphagia - a common medical condition amongst aged care patients, resulting in difficulty chewing or swallowing food or fluid.

The current practice is to provide these patients with pre-packaged thickened fluids (including sweet drinks, flavoured milk and juices), however as many dislike the sweet flavours, day after day, that they are often non-compliant with recommendations. This then leads to poor fluid intake, dehydration and patients being at greater risk of medical deterioration. Dehydration can also cause confusion, lethargy and affect recovery from acute illness.

"The feedback we've got from many patients is that they do not like to have these sweet drinks as their only source of fluid," Joanna said.

While Alfred Health has implemented a free water protocol, this is not appropriate for all as water can cause some patients to cough, choke or experience distress. The protocol also requires strict guideline adherence, which is not always possible in the aged care ward setting.

"We think pre-packaged thickened water may be a solution to this problem," Clare added.

"Thickened water will give patients with dysphagia a taste neutral alternative, which may improve overall tolerance of thickened fluids, allowing for better fluid intake and consequently, more stable hydration.

"The aim is to improve patient compliance and prevent clinical deterioration related to poor hydration."

Recruitment for the study, which will include 50 Caulfield Hospital aged care ward inpatients, is currently underway.