DYSPHAGIA: A VERY FREQUENT AND WIDESPREAD DISORDER
Dysphagia refers to the difficulty or inability to swallow food and drinks, which can then enter the airways. It is a disorder that carries serious risks: choking, aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and related conditions (sarcopenia, sores, etc.). A very high percentage of people, particularly the frail, suffer from it, both at home and in nursing homes and all residential facilities.
There are numerous causes that can lead to it: neurological causes, including Alzheimer's, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson's, dementia, iatrogenic causes induced by treatments, infectious causes, metabolic causes, and structural causes. The decline in muscle mass and function also causes a condition similar to dysphagia, known as presbyphagia. This condition, in any case, involves difficulty swallowing and the associated risks. It is therefore essential to carefully and early assess patients at risk of dysphagia and presbyphagia and plan appropriate care responses to prevent very serious complications, such as choking, aspiration pneumonia, and lung inflammation.
It is also important to prevent the risk of malnutrition, dehydration, and related conditions (sarcopenia, ulcers, kidney failure), which compound an already fragile and precarious state of health.
On this page you can find all the tools you need to manage the feeding of the patient with dysphagy.
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In the TRAINING you will find links to calendars and programmes of any courses and video tutorials by sector specialists on the various areas of study.
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In the CONVENTION you will find materials and information on dysphagia solutions developed by our partner IO SANO and aimed at improving the quality and variety of menus, preventing health risks, and reducing costs for facilities.
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In the CONTACTS , you'll find contact information and links to request online or in-person meetings to discuss your needs in more detail.
TRAINING AND TUTORIAL AREA
Nourish with Care Dysphagia Research Academy is IoSano's Academy for continuing education on dysphagia-related topics. Below you can find the events members can attend free of charge. The "TRAINING VIDEO TUTORIALS" section features videos from the Academy website featuring speakers on various dysphagia-related topics.
In this section you will find information on the solutions designed by IO SANO in 2001 and developed with the contribution of healthcare experts, chefs, and specialists in the field of dysphagia.
The solution, which has now become a widespread standard due to its significant advantages, especially in terms of safety and efficacy, is structured along a path that extends from nutritional assessment and planning to the creation of homogeneous foods through automated and calibrated systems and using dehydrated preparations made with completely natural ingredients and traditional recipes.
It responds to three fundamental needs:
- provide safety with respect to the consistency of food, which must be adequate and consistent to prevent serious pathologies such as choking or aspiration pneumonia
- provide safety with respect to nutritional intake, thanks to the certainty and consistency of the same and the absence of air in the smoothie, unlike what happens with traditional smoothies
- Offer a varied, tasty and highly distinctive menu to preserve the pleasure and taste that represent a fundamental element for the well-being and quality of life of those suffering from dysphagia
The solution, in addition to the creation of diets in the kitchen, allows the production of breakfast foods (milk, biscuits and proteins, cappuccino and biscuits, tea and biscuits), protein supplement foods (protein-enriched and sugar-free desserts), and gelled drinks calibrated to the 3 IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative)
UNEBA ASSOCIATES
The cost of the solution is based on a fixed daily rate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A basic daily meal plan provides over 1,700 calories and 72 grams of protein. Lunch includes a first course, second course, side dish, and protein-rich dessert, while dinner includes a first course, second course, side dish, and fiber-rich fruit mousse. Members using an external catering service can obtain further information from their supplier or our specialists.
Members who directly manage the catering service can request the pricing reserved for members from IO SANO This pricing, which includes every element of the service as well as the products, is established as a fixed daily cost (including breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and varies depending on the menu and average daily nutritional intake. In any case, it will be extremely competitive and advantageous compared to current costs.
It is also important to take into account that the solution may allow for indirect cost optimizations:
- elimination of protein and calorie nutritional supplements
- waste reduction
- logistics and warehouse optimization
Below you will find some insights into the various areas of the solution.
RistoSano is an innovative system for preparing consistency-modified diets, aimed at guests of healthcare and social healthcare facilities with swallowing problems.
The recipes are based on traditional ingredients, but the instant and calibrated preparation system allows for great variety in menus, absolute certainty of nutritional intake, consistency in homogeneity, consistency and viscosity, hygiene and health safety, and constant availability 24 hours a day.
The service therefore represents a tool which, by integrating with the catering service, helps to effectively deal with the feeding of dysphagic patients and to contribute positively to their nutritional status.
Leafing through the brochure, you can discover the menus, from breakfast to first courses, second courses with side dishes, desserts, and fruit mousses. All products are available 24 hours a day thanks to automated and carefully selected distribution systems.
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FIND OUT MORE, BROWSE THE ONLINE BROCHURE PRESENTING THE RISTOSANO SOLUTION
The service, provided with machines on loan and the supply of prepared beverages, consists of dispensing beverages for various times of the day. The beverage selection is extensive and suitable for all times of the day. A single dispenser can dispense all the products needed for breakfast and snacks, as well as for hydration, breakfast, and snacks for dysphagic patients:
- A homogeneous breakfast for guests with dysphagy (milk and biscuits with protein, tea and biscuits, etc.)
- Bevogel Ready for the hydration of dysphagic guests (many pleasant flavours and at IDDSI consistency levels)
- Traditional hot drinks for breakfast for all guests (milk, barley, coffee, diabetic tea, chamomile, organic milk, etc.)
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FIND OUT MORE, BROWSE THE ONLINE BROCHURE PRESENTING THE BEVOSANO SOLUTION
The Acqua San service for the healthcare sector consists of the distribution of fresh, natural microfiltered water at room temperature through the installation and maintenance of dedicated dispensers and treatment systems, using reusable bedside containers.
The service eliminates glass and plastic bottles, resulting in significant savings in costs, logistics costs, and the environmental impact of waste and transportation. This service complies with the Ministry of the Environment's Minimum Environmental Criteria for Restaurants and is in line with PLASTIC FREE regulations.
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FIND OUT MORE, BROWSE THE ONLINE BROCHURE PRESENTING THE ACQUASAN SOLUTION
Book an appointment with an Io Sano. From home or office, you can explore IOSANO services with the help of our specialists. Fill out the form at the bottom of the page with your information.
HOME SOLUTIONS FOR DYSPHAGIA
Dysphagia affects not only a large number of residents in nursing homes, but also a large segment of the population living at home. These vulnerable individuals have even more difficulty coping effectively with this disorder than in nursing homes and are exposed to even more serious and frequent risks. Therefore, providing solutions to them can represent a service integrated with home care and meet an extremely widespread need. A 5% discount code on the total purchase is available for all UNEBA members . To activate it, simply enter the coupon UNEBA-5 during checkout .
