Dysphagia Support training in Townsville & Mackay

This course provides practical and theoretical training on managing dysphagia (swallowing difficulty), designed for support workers and care teams. It combines a detailed presentation with hands-on activities to build confidence and competence in supporting individuals with swallowing difficulties.

What You’ll Learn:

• What dysphagia is, its causes, and how it affects swallowing.
• The stages of a normal swallow and signs and symptoms of dysphagia.
• The impact of dysphagia on health and quality of life.
• Mealtime management strategies and treatment options.
• How to follow IDDSI guidelines for food and fluids, including testing methods for different textures and thickness levels.
• Environmental factors, positioning, and medication considerations.
• Responding to choking and aspiration emergencies.
• Oral hygiene and maintaining dignity in care.

Practical Training:

You’ll take part in demonstrations and hands-on practice, including:

• Testing food textures such as regular, soft and bite-sized, minced moist, and puree.
• Preparing and testing fluids at different thickness levels (mildly, moderately, and extremely thick).
• Using IDDSI handouts and guidelines to ensure accuracy.
• Each participant will demonstrate their ability to test and prepare diets and fluids according to IDDSI standards.

We also provide the diet items, liquids and thickener as part of this package.

Group training format

Dysphagia Support training runs for 2 hours – this includes theory, presented using PowerPoint, and case discussion. At the completion of the course each person receives a certificate of completion and completes a competency check list.

Training is conducted at our Townsville and Mackay clinics with offsite options available by arrangement.

Group sized are limited to a maximum of 10 people so there is opportunity for specific questions & group discussion.

If you would like a training package tailored for your business, please contact our coordination team with your specific requirements.

Non-accredited training

Non-accredited courses are designed to teach relevant skills that will enable workers to perform their jobs more safely & effectively. These courses are non-accredited and do not count towards a recognised qualification.

Digital certificates will be issued to confirm people have attended and completed this training. Printed certificates can also be arranged for individuals.