As I read some health policies/ guidelines
“When you communicate clearly, people can see your ideas might be wrong or banal,” he says. “That’s scary. So jargon becomes a shield.”
Only 40% “almost always” inform patients of the risks associated with altered texture solids. More than one in five were unable to select even one known risk associated with MDTs. A lot of improvement needed but well done to Drs Matthew Ward and Angela Bowman for highlighting.
Valid informed consent requires provision of accurate and balanced information, and that agreement is given freely by someone who knows they have a choice. This is true for use of modified texture diets (MTDs) in dysphagia as for other healthcare interventions
Our take on (sometimes surreptitious) monitoring cameras in residents' rooms: it is complicated, ethically and legally challenging and no panacea for poor care.
imj.ie/in-room-surv...
It is great to see this now examined in a US survey of 326 speech-language pathologists, but not so great to see our fears confirmed . Less than half participants “almost always” inform the patient of the risks associated with thickened liquids.
www.frontiersin.org/journals/reh...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Co-decision-making is the middle of the three new tiers of support in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. It's a new and challenging concept and the capacity test for assessors is complex. My take and personal views just out..
We previously noted – albeit mainly based on indirect evidence that here is ample reason to suggest that current consent practices for modified texture diets is suboptimal but suggested that the topic needed further research.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Addenbrookes (ACE III) as Gaeilge
Comhghairdeas Aoife, Elaine JB @DSIDCDementia, ní fhaca mé go dtí seo.
agus an fáth go bhfuil sé tábhachtach....
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Really powerful article from @jonathanmoens.bsky.social
and colleagues about the abuse of older people through restraints. Focuses on Italy, Spain and Portugal but occurs much more widely
undark.org/2025/07/25/e...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Comment on implications of Egawa et al (Int Urol Nephrol (2025)) which found a severity-dependent association between dysphagia and the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in older patients.
In parts of Europe, nursing homes use physical restraints on residents, citing safety. But experts warn of harm.
