6.1 Introduction
Many of the clients you will be caring for will need some help with meals. They may be unable to feed themselves because of weakness or disability. Be aware of their feelings of loss regarding this skill when you assist them to eat. It is important to determine how much the clients can do themselves and encourage independence, but it is also important to know when to assist clients when they need support to eat. In some circumstances, for example, during illness, it may be necessary to record a client’s food or fluid intake and compare this to total output. In this unit, we explore how HCAs can support clients who either cannot feed themselves or are at risk for choking.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, the successful student will be able to:
- Describe nutrition in relation to common health challenges.
- Identify differences related to diversity and how that affects nutritional choices.
- Identify components of common special diets.
- Explain the purpose of enteral nutrition.
- Differentiate between choking and dysphagia.
- Demonstrate the set-up of a food tray.
- Demonstrate providing minimal to moderate assistance to help a person eat.
- Demonstrate providing full assistance to a person who is unable to feed themselves.
- Report and record food and fluid intake and output.
Terms to Know
Measuring by percentage how much food and liquid has been consumed.
The inability of a person to acquire sufficient oxygen through breathing for an extended period of time. Asphyxia can cause coma or death.
Inhalation of fluids or objects into the lungs.
A ball-like mixture of food and saliva that forms in the mouth during the process of chewing.
Difficulty swallowing. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is difficulty controlling the position of food in the mouth, initiating a swallow, and nasal regurgitation. It is common to hear a gurgling voice after swallowing. Esophageal dysphagia is the inability to swallow solid food as food becomes stuck in the esophagus.
Nutrition in the form of a liquid. It is provided by drinking nutrition beverages or formulas and tube feeding.
A general term for feeding tubes that are passed into the stomach or small intestine and provide liquid nutritional formula. They are used for clients who are unable to swallow or take food orally.
Backward flow of food/fluid from the stomach into the mouth.
