More Beds, More Care - Are We Ready to Support Residents with Dysphagia?
This includes:
expanding residential aged care capacity, with an additional 5,000 beds each year
increasing support through more home care packages
improving access to care for older Australians
As part of this reform, $1 billion will be invested into the Support at Home program, where personal care services will become free of charge alongside other clinical care.
This reflects a growing recognition of the needs of older Australians and the importance of improving access to care across the sector.
Understanding the Needs of the Ageing Population
As aged care continues to grow, it is important to recognise the increasing complexity of the people being supported.
Swallowing difficulties, also known as dysphagia, are more common than many people realise. See below some data as per Speech Pathology Australia Website:
Around 1 in 5 adults over the age of 50 may experience swallowing difficulties
This increases to around 50% of people living in residential aged care
After a stroke, more than half of individuals may have difficulty swallowing, with some experiencing long-term challenges
Among people living with dementia in aged care, around half are affected by dysphagia
Dysphagia can increase the risk of choking, aspiration, and chest infections, and may impact a person’s ability to eat and drink safely.
Why This Matters for the Workforce
With more beds and more services being introduced, there will also be a growing need to support residents with complex care needs.
For many residents, safe eating and drinking is not straightforward.
Supporting people with dysphagia requires:
awareness of the condition
understanding of safe food and fluid consistencies
consistent mealtime practices across teams
Ensuring staff are equipped with the right knowledge and skills is an important part of delivering safe and effective care.
Looking Ahead
More beds, more packages and better care is a positive step forward for the aged care sector.
As services expand, it also presents an opportunity to strengthen how care is delivered on the ground, particularly in supporting residents with complex needs such as dysphagia.
Supporting the workforce with the right knowledge and training will be key to ensuring care remains safe, consistent, and person-centred.
