Sit Upright During Meals: A Key Step for Safe Swallowing
Top Tip Tuesday: Ensure upright positioning during meals to support safer swallowing
Supporting individuals with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) involves many levels of support. Positioning during meals plays a key role in supporting safe swallowing.
This is our fifth week of sharing practical safe swallowing tips to support carers, nurses, and aged care teams in improving mealtime safety. These tips are designed to be simple, practical, and easy to apply in real-life settings.
Why Sitting Upright Matters
When we are sitting upright, our body is in a position that supports safer swallowing.
However, when a person is lying down, the airway becomes more open. This is similar to what we do during CPR, where the head is tilted back to open the airway to help with breathing.
During eating and drinking, we do not want the airway to be more open.
Instead, we want a position that supports the body to:
direct food and drinks safely
reduce the chance of it going down the wrong way
maintain better control during swallowing
Sitting upright helps achieve this.
What Does “Sitting Upright” Look Like?
Ideally, the person should be:
sitting upright (around 90 degrees)
with their back supported
with their head in a neutral, slightly forward position
with feet supported if possible
Avoid lying down, slouching, or tilting the head too far back during meals.
Positioning After Meals Is Also Important
It is recommended to:
remain upright for at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking
This supports safer digestion and reduces the risk of food or fluid coming back up.
Individual Needs May Differ
Some individuals may require additional support with positioning, such as:
assistance to maintain posture
specialised seating or cushions
Positioning should always follow recommendations from a speech pathologist or relevant health professional such as occupational therapist.
Simple Tips for Staff
To support safe swallowing:
ensure the person is fully upright before starting meals
check head and body positioning
avoid feeding when a person is lying down
monitor posture throughout the meal
The Role of Dysphagia Training
Understanding positioning is an important part of dysphagia training.
Training helps staff:
understand how positioning affects swallowing
recognise unsafe positions
support individuals more confidently during meals
Final Note
Remember to check for positioning before you feed someone. Never feed an adult when the person is lying down.
Check out our other article to see how to reduce choking risk in aged care during mealtimes:
