Top Gift Ideas for Loved Ones with Dysphagia
Living with dysphasia is no walk in the park. It’s one of those conditions that end up being far more stressful to deal with since it isn’t technically life-threatening.
Though it won’t kill you, it can make it so difficult to eat that you accidentally end up malnourished or underweight. It’s hard for those with dysphagia, for their friends and family, and for their carers. It inhibits the joy that was once eating and can make one of the most basic needs a stressor.
While you cannot erase the symptoms of dysphagia from your loved one, you can learn about it, what needs to be done to accommodate someone with dysphagia better, and work on finding ways to make their lives that little bit easier.
This is true around the year, but particularly on their birthday. If the dysphagia diagnosis is recent, then there’s a good chance that your loved one hasn’t created their ideal approach to handling their symptoms. That’s where you come in. Take on the cost of trying new assistive tools so that they can hopefully enjoy a better eating experience.
Without further ado, here are the top four gift ideas for your loved ones living with dysphagia:
Tasteless Thickener
The ability to adapt any food or drink to the right consistency without that thickener changing the taste of the food or drink in question is game-changing for someone with dysphagia. If your loved one doesn’t already have a tasteless option they’re completely happy with, then get them this tasteless SimplyThick for dysphagia. It comes in both a gel form and a powder. The gel form works to add moisture to many foods and bring things up to the right consistency. The powder is a quick and convenient way for your loved one to add the thickener to their drinks on the go.
Food Molds
Sometimes, you just want something familiar. When you develop dysphagia later in life, this can be particularly challenging, since you end up nostalgic for food you can no longer have. That’s why food molds can be a great gift. No, putting moistened bread and filling it into a sandwich mold is ever going to make it feel like a sandwich, but it can look similar, and sometimes, that’s all you need.
Accessible Utensils
There are many innovative utensils out there that can make it easier to swallow and enjoy foods with less risk or hassle. These utensils typically contain ridges so that more of the sauce, soup, or soft foods can cling to the surface. Your loved one can then slowly eat through their food with less risk.
A Great Cookbook
There’s nothing better than a personal gift. A great gift, then, is to try to adapt your loved ones’ favorite meals and then create step-by-step instructions in their cookbook. You can also look online for great, helpful tips, tricks, and even outright recipes. Share those recipes online as well to further help those living with dysphagia enjoy delicious, tasty meals.
