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Good Feeding Practices

People who experience difficulty swallowing may require extra help when eating and drinking to ensure that food and drink go down the right way.  Below is a list of helpful tips to encourage safe eating and drinking.

Alertness

  • Only feed if the person is fully alert.
  • Stop feeding if the person becomes tired.

Positioning

  • Ensure the person is sitting all the way up when eating and drinking (i.e., at 90°).
  • If possible, encourage them to sit in a chair with their hips well back in the chair and their feet flat on the floor.
  • If they are eating or drinking in bed, use pillows to support them upright if necessary.

Oral Care

  • Ensure their mouth is kept clean and moist, brushing their teeth/dentures/mouth at least twice per day.
  • If they have dentures, ensure they are put in when eating and are fitting appropriately.
  • After the person has finished eating, clean their mouth and dentures.  
  • Remove any accumulated food.

Environment

  • Try to minimise distractions, e.g. turning off the television, closing doors to reduce noise.
  • Make eye contact with the person when feeding them.

Food

  • Allow the person a chance to communicate the types of food they wish to eat.
  • Explain what the food is and be positive about it.
  • Place the meal close enough for the person to see and smell the food
  • Make the meals look appetising.  
  • Keep meals warm if they take a while to eat.

Feeding

  • Encourage self feeding.
  • If self feeding is not possible, try to support the person to feed themselves using hand over hand help.
  • Try to communicate with the person about the speed at which they would like to be fed.
  • Small mouthfuls of food/drink are better than large mouthfuls.
  • Allow plenty of time for the person to swallow.
  • If the person becomes tired, allow regular breaks.
  • If the person is impulsive - try cutting the food up into small pieces or only offering small volumes of fluid at once.
  • For people who have poor lip seal - encourage them to notice and wipe away any residue on their lips or chin.
  • Encourage the person to check for any food residue inside their cheeks with their tongue. 
  •  If the person is unable to do this, encourage them to open their mouth so you can check for them.
  • Ensure the person has swallowed before offering more.
  • Try to avoid using beaker lids or straws because these can lead to higher risk of aspiration – only use if absolutely necessary.
  • Keep them sitting upright for 20 minutes after eating and drinking.
     

Contact us

If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Speech and language therapy service.

About this information

Service:
Speech and language therapy

Reference:
VV/013

Approval date:
1 July 2024

Review date:
1 July 2027

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This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.