NDIS Swallowing Assessments
Having difficulty swallowing (a condition known medically as ‘dysphagia’) is very challenging for anyone to deal with. Many people suffer and find it challenging to ingest food and water. If you are experiencing trouble swallowing, you may need to undergo an assessment to get to the root of the cause.
At Connect2Care, we offer NDIS swallowing assessments. We find the problem and determine how best to treat it during our examinations.
Our services are suitable for older citizens and people living with disabilities, and we can perform them wherever is most convenient for you. For example, we can do it in a hospital, an aged care facility, or in the comfort of your home.
Identifying the Causes of Swallowing Difficulties
If you have difficulty swallowing, you may be suffering from a medical condition called dysphagia. Here are some of the symptoms to look out for:
Weak throat muscles
Dementia
Poor cognitive function
Poor muscle coordination
Stroke
Head injury
Parkinson’s disease
Cerebral palsy
Other factors can cause dysphagia, including diseases that affect the esophagus. That’s why it’s crucial to get a swallowing assessment from a trained professional as we can find the root cause.
What our Swallowing Assessments Do
At Connect2Care, our swallowing assessment aims to determine what kind of swallowing problem a person has. We also determine the severity of the problem. After the diagnosis, we give counsel on the most appropriate intervention and care to treat the condition.
What Happens During a Swallowing Assessment
Our swallowing assessors are a dedicated team of professionals who carry out their work with care and compassion. While assessing your swallowing function, they will also examine the following factors:
- Your communication ability
- Your general health
- Your cognitive function
- Your nutrition
- Other environmental and behavioural factors that can cause swallowing difficulties
Why Choose Connect2Care
Our examiners are gentle and sensitive to the personal beliefs of our clients and give only give recommendations after considering various factors. This includes the influence of your cultural and religious beliefs.
How can a swallowing assessment benefit me?
Swallowing correctly and safely is essential for long-term health, which is why our team takes a comprehensive approach when evaluating patients. By combining medical records, past screening results, and physical examinations, as well as each patient’s individual case history with input from their carers and other healthcare professionals; we are highly equipped to accurately assess your unique swallowing needs in order to provide tailored treatments that may help you on your path towards an improved quality of life.
What our swallowing assessments do:
At Connect2Care, our swallowing assessment aims to determine what kind of swallowing problem a person has. We also determine the severity of the problem. After the diagnosis, we give counsel on the most appropriate intervention and care to treat the condition. Each swallowing assessment may include:
- diagnosing your swallowing disorder
- developing a prognosis for your improvement
- finding the safest, most efficient way for you to drink and eat
- discovering any interventions and supports that can help you
- further referrals to other services or professionals who can help you
- counselling, education and training for you, your carers and chosen healthcare providers
When to do swallowing assessments?
You may need to consider swallowing exams if you’re experiencing difficulties or pain when swallowing. This is especially true if you have experienced symptoms such as food sticking in your throat, any breathing difficulties, or even are at high risk for dysphagia due to certain medical conditions like stroke. Even without displaying any signs of dysphagia, there can still be the chance that aspiration could occur and an examination should take place.
How to prepare for a swallowing assessment
Usually, a swallowing assessment doesn’t require extensive preparation. But in some cases, to ensure accuracy, you may be asked to abstain from eating food or drinking beverages.
You may also be asked to prepare a record of difficulties you’ve experienced in eating, drinking, or breathing prior to the exam which can be discussed prior to the evaluation.
