Faye had been receiving ongoing Support at Home services for about 6 months. She was thankful for the home help and meal preparation, usually supplied by care worker Justin.
The pair got along well and Faye enjoyed Justin’s company during lunch. They would share stories, and it gave her a chance to rest her feet.
One day Justin mentioned to Faye that, lately, she seemed to be taking longer to eat. He had noticed she was eating less and was coughing when trying to swallow. Faye assumed it was just taking a while for her to get over the flu. But, Justin suggested that it wouldn’t hurt to get some further advice. Faye agreed.
After a chat with Faye’s care partner Lauren, it was determined that Faye would benefit from a speech pathologist review. Lauren reviewed her support plan and realised she did not have approval to access a speech pathologist. Lauren requested a support plan review and, following a quick assessment, it was updated. A speech pathologist was organised to undertake an assessment. Afterwards, they explained that Faye was experiencing swallowing difficulties and recommended changes to the texture of some of her food, to lessen the risk of choking. They also referred Faye to see a dietitian who suggested some supplements to be added to her food to make sure she was getting enough nutritional intake.
Once the full assessment was done, the speech pathologist arranged to have a regular 3-monthly review. Faye’s care plan and quarterly budget were updated. A mealtime plan was made and happily executed by Justin. Faye found the modified food much easier to swallow. The dietary changes, combined with Justin’s flair with cooking, helped to make Faye feel more energised, too.
Services featured in Faye’s story
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