About 9.4 million adults in the United States report having swallowing difficulties each year. Among the elderly population, about 16-23% are affected by dysphagia.1,2 Despite these significant numbers, there is only one free Dysphagia Food Bank to serve this population in the nation.
Essential Items for Safe Eating
One important step toward supporting individuals with dysphagia is encouraging food banks and community pantries to carry more inclusive, dysphagia-friendly items.
What Dysphagia-Friendly Food Banks Should Include
- Texture-modified foods (purees, soft solids, thickened liquids)
- Adaptive feeding tools
- Modified utensils and cups
- Supportive feeding chairs and positioning equipment
These items are not luxuries, but instead are essential for safe, everyday eating. Without them, many individuals face increased risk of choking and aspiration, especially patients with dysphagia. Further, without these tools, individuals with dysphagia face the risk of malnutrition as they may not be able to eat nutritious foods essential for their overall well-being.
The Caregiver Burden
In conversation with Hillary Cooper, the Founder and CEO of The Dysphagia Outreach Project Food Bank, the only known dysphagia-specific food bank in the United States, located in Louisiana, it became clear that the challenges extend beyond the patients themselves.
Caregivers, who often shoulder the responsibility of meal preparation and feeding, face significant emotional and financial burdens as well, and nearly as many caregivers visit the food bank as patients themselves do. This highlights how attention needs to be given not only to patients with dysphagia, but also to their caregivers, who can range from elderly loved ones to new parents.
Many of the dysphagia food bank's clients also come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, making access to specialized foods and adaptive equipment even more limited. This highlights a critical intersection between medical need and social inequity.
A Path Forward
Currently, the scarcity of dysphagia-specific resources means that countless individuals across the country are left without safe access to the foods and tools they need.
"Expanding specialized dysphagia food banks, or integrating dysphagia-friendly items into existing community food programs, would dramatically improve quality of life for both patients and caregivers", as mentioned by Hillary Cooper.
Providing these resources equitably is not simply a matter of convenience, but rather, it is a matter of upholding basic dignity. Every person deserves access to safe, nutritious food that meets their medical needs. By expanding dysphagia-friendly resources in food banks and community programs, we can take meaningful steps toward a more inclusive and compassionate food system.
References
- Bhattacharyya, N. (2014). The prevalence of dysphagia among adults in the United States. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 151(5), 765–769. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599814549156
- Swallowing Disorder Foundation. Swallowing Disorder Basics. https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/about/swallowing-disorder-basics/