IDDSI Training - What Every Care Team Should Know
Every person in aged care deserves mealtimes that feel calm, predictable, and safe. But food and fluid textures naturally change — with temperature, time, ingredients, and preparation methods. This is why IDDSI training is so important. When every team member knows how to check textures using IDDSI testing methods, mealtimes become more consistent and residents feel more supported.
What is IDDSI?
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) is a global framework that gives everyone a shared way to describe food and drink textures for people with swallowing difficulties.
But IDDSI is not just a set of labels.
Its power comes from the simple testing methods that help staff confirm a texture right at the moment of serving.
IDDSI training teaches teams to:
- Understand IDDSI Levels 0-7
- Use IDDSI testing tools confidently (flow test, fork pressure test, spoon tilt test, fork drip test)
- Recognise when a texture may need checking
- Support residents with consistency and dignity
- Reduce guesswork and variation across shifts
When everyone uses the same tests, meals stay predictable — even when natural variation occurs.
Moments When IDDSI Testing Helps
You might notice:
- Fluids flowing faster or slower depending on temperature
- Thickness changing after sitting for a while
- Drinks separating slightly after storage
- Differences between brands or batches
These are all common in real kitchens.
IDDSI Flow Test (only 10 seconds) help confirm the drink matches the intended level before serving.
When Foods Benefit From Re-Checking
Food textures can vary for completely normal reasons:
- Purees drying out or becoming firmer over time
- Moisture changes from refrigeration
- Cooking differences between staff
- Modified diets behaving differently depending on ingredients
IDDSI tests, such as the Fork Pressure Test, Spoon Tilt Test, or Fork Drip Test — help verify food meets the required texture properties on the spot.
It’s about giving staff a simple tool to maintain consistency with confidence.
Why do people need texture modified foods and drinks?
Swallowing difficulties are common in aged care due to:
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke
- General frailty
- Medication effects
- Fatigue or reduced alertness
Food and drinks properties
Texture can shift because of:
- Heat → fluids becoming thinner
- Cooling → purees becoming firmer
- Time → liquids settling or thickening
- Batch variation → different ingredients reacting differently
- Cooking → moisture and softness changing
This is why IDDSI is so widely used
It gives staff reliable tests to make sure every texture still meets the resident’s required level.
We can help you with IDDSI training
Our sessions include:
- Step-by-step demonstrations of each IDDSI test
- Real examples from your kitchen
- How to check textures quickly during service
- How to recognise natural variation and respond confidently
If your team would benefit from practical, supportive IDDSI training, we’re here to help.
Learn more or enquire here: IDDSI Training
Article about What is IDDSI? <— Read Here
