Nutrition resources for people with a disability
There is a huge variation in the nutritional needs of people with a disability. The skillset required is broad and Education in Nutrition has on-demand professional development to help you keep up-to-date in best clinical practice in this area.
In our library you’ll find practical advice including working in the NDIS, dealing with texture modification and enteral feeding and nutrition interventions for specific clinical conditions.
A dietitian’s guide to working in the NDIS. Three-part series
Shannyn Thatcher, APD
Shannyn shares her knowledge and expertise about working with the NDIS on a down-to-earth level. She takes working with the NDIS back to basics, clearly guiding us through each key process of working in this very rewarding sector.
Part 1 Recognising NDIS eligibility and assisting your clients to access the NDIS
- Introduction to the NDIS
- Common nutrition issues working in NDIS
- Assisting current clients to gain access to the NDIS
Part 2 Referrals, dietitian role, invoicing
- Referrals from NDIS participants
- Self-managed
- Plan managed
- NDIA managed
- Dietitian role in the participant team
- Local area co-ordinator
- Support coordinator
- Plan manager
- Service agreement
- Invoicing NDIS clients
Part 3 Report writing
- How to structure a report for the NDIS
- Reasonable and necessary criteria
- Key terms in report writing
- Examples of effective and ineffective report writing
Read a review here which covers all three parts
Blended tube feeding
Claire Kariya, RD (Canada) & Lina Breik, APD
Tube fed individuals and their loved ones are quickly discovering that blended food is an option to ultra-processed commercial feeds. In the past, dietetic organisations advised against using blended diets due to concerns of blocked tubes, nutritional inadequacy and contamination. With these concerns not proving true, and because dietitians are the enteral feed experts, we should feel able to support our clients if their decision is to use a blended diet from home-cooked meals.
- Definition and background
- Client suitability
- Myth-busting
- When blended tube feeding should be considered
- Benefits and risks
- How to create nutritious blended meals
- Nutritional adequacy
- Energy
- Protein
- Micronutrients
- Practical aspects
- Texture
- Food safety
- Nutritional monitoring
Blended tube feeding case studies
Claire Kariya, RD (Canada) & Lina Breik, APD
Lina illustrates the management of a client who has recently commenced blended tube feeding.
Claire describes her management of client with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, who she has been supporting with blended tube feeding for over five years.
Understanding the use of blended diet with enteral feeding tubes
Dr Sarah Durnan, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian, UK
- Why consider blended diet as an option for tube-fed children and young people
- Creating a plan with parents and carers
- Different approaches to blended diet
- Achieving the correct viscosity and texture
- Safe food preparation, handling and storage
- Nutritional Adequacy
Polypharmacy
Dr Amanda Cross BPharm (Hons), GradCert (Pharm Prac), PhD and Dr Natali Jokanovic BPharm (Hons), GradCert (Pharm Prac), PhD
In Australia, polypharmacy occurs in 36% of people aged over 70 (a similar figure to New Zealand), a number that increases in hospital inpatients (75%), and aged care residents (82%)
- The main definition of polypharmacy
- Prevalence of polypharmacy
- Common medications in polypharmacy
- Polypharmacy and nutrition
- Consequences of polypharmacy
- Identifying polypharmacy
- Interventions to help polypharmacy
- Case study
The role of nutrition in Parkinson’s disease
Amy Neill, APD
Nutrition impact symptoms may be direct eg. constipation, gastroparesis, dysphagia or indirect eg. cognitive problems, fatigue, apathy.
- Management of Parkinson’s symptoms that impact nutrition e.g. constipation, gastroparesis and dysphagia.
- Specific diets and management of Parkinson’s - which if any are best? Mediterranean, MIND, Ketogenic.
- Levodopa containing medications and dietary considerations
Fussy eating, not chewing and motor development: identifying a link
Dr Denise Stapleton, PhD, APD
Children’s trunk rotation, and trunk and shoulder girdle development, usually precede effective tongue movement and chewing skills.
Denise describes the case of a 14-month-old toddler who was referred to her due to an increase in fussy eating. On investigation, the toddler was often gagging and vomiting on her food, had difficulty chewing and was delayed in her development. In her presentation, Denise describes a detailed history, nutritional assessment and dealing with the issues which underly mealtime difficulties.
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury does not affect just our ability to walk and eat. Depending on the location, a spinal cord injury can affect nearly every system in our body including our skin, bladder, bowel, sexual function, breathing, temperature regulation and blood pressure. Then on top of all the physical injury, a spinal cord injury creates a huge psychological challenge. Paula presents on spinal cord injury in the acute and long-term settings and practical clinical management in case studies.
Nutrition in Acute Spinal Cord Injury
Paula Carroll, Dietitian
- Anatomy and classification of spinal cord injuries
- Significant psychological impact
- Acute pain
- Neurogenic bowel
- Neurogenic bladder
- Skin and increased pressure injury risk
- Swallowing Issues
- Respiratory issues
- Acute nutritional assessment
- Changes in body composition
- Energy and protein requirements
Nutrition in Rehabilitation and Long-term Spinal Injury
Paula Carroll, Dietitian
- New healthy weight range after spinal cord injury
- Assessment of body composition
- Estimating energy, protein and fluid requirements
- Autonomic dysreflexia
- Chronic pain
- Neurogenic bowel
- Neurogenic bladder
- Catheter blockages, renal calculi
- Prevention and management of pressure injuries
Spinal cord injury: case studies
Paula Carroll, Dietitian
A 20-year-old man who sustained a C5-6 translocation fracture after a trampoline accident. In this case Paula describes the trauma of a life changing event and the continuous nutrition intervention during his hospitalisation which is complicated with infection and pneumonia.
A 30-yr-old woman who sustained a T12 injury in a motor vehicle accident in 2006. She is admitted to hospital for management of bilateral grade 4 ischial tuberosity pressure injuries. She was referred to Paula for nutritional optimisation prior to surgery.
Dysphagia and texture modified diets
Colleen Kerr, Speech Pathologist
The incidence of dysphagia includes 15-30% of people over 65yrs of age living in the community and 100% of people with dementia.
- Swallowing in the Older Adult
- The normal swallow –anatomy and stages of swallowing
- Common swallowing disorders in ageing
- Case study
- Implementing IDDSI
- IDDSI diet descriptors, tests and resources
The role of diet in multiple sclerosis
Dr Jonathan White MBChB, MRCOG
There is growing evidence of the importance role of diet in managing MS.
- The physiology of MS
- Medical treatment
- The role of diet in MS
- Current research findings
- Saturated fat
- Intermittent fasting
- Probiotics
Gastroparesis and dysmotility disorders
Dr Sharon Carey, PhD, APD
Normal well-co-ordinated gut peristalsis requires both muscle and nerve function. When there is damage to the muscles or nerves or both, dysmotility occurs. This dysmotility gives rise to GI symptoms which are commonly abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms which we would regularly see in many of our clients.
- Definition, diagnosis and aetiology of dysmotility disorders, including gastroparesis
- Signs and symptoms of dysmotility disorders
- Exploration of comorbidities such as diabetes, coeliac disease and disordered eating
- Medical management including medications, and procedures, including gastric pacemakers.
- Nutritional management including oral, enteral and parenteral pathways as well as lifestyle considerations.
Enteral feeding
Jacqui Bailey, APD
The practical management of enteral feeding
- Choosing an enteral formula
- Choosing an enteral modality (pump or bolus)
- A guide to commencement and progression of your regimen
- Troubleshooting (GI upsets and tube-related issues)
- ENFit tube changes
- Monitoring for long term patients
Intellectual disability: successful nutritional management
Jodie Ellis, APD, PhD candidate
Examining the complex and challenging nutritional needs of this vulnerable group
- What is intellectual disability?
- Nutrition assessment in clients with an ID
- Tailoring your practice to achieve successful interventions
- Ethical considerations
- Changing your practice to fit into the NDIS model
The unique nutrition challenges of severe mental illness
Scott Teasdale, APD, PhD candidate
People with severe mental illness- conditions such as- schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder have a 20-year reduced life expectancy compared to the rest of the population. What is shocking about this statistic is that preventable, non-communicable diseases actually cause the reduced life expectancy.
- What is severe mental illness?
- Characteristics of people living with severe mental illness, and impacts of medication side-effects
- Nutritional intake, key nutrient concerns and nutrient-medication interactions
- Effective nutritional interventions
Severe mental illness: case study
Scott Teasdale, APD, PhD candidate
Scott describes the nutritional management of his client who recently had their first psychotic episode. Scott explains the situation, the medication commenced and his interventions to prevent an increase in metabolic risk factors and weight gain.
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder- ARFID
Shawna Melbourn, Registered Dietitian, Canada
Because ARFID prevalence, risk factors, and maintaining mechanisms are not known, prevailing treatment approaches are based on clinical experience rather than data.
- Definition of ARFID
- The difference between ARFID and fussy eating
- Treatment approaches and strategies
- Managing nutritional adequacy in someone with ARFID
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder- ARFID: case study
Shawna Melbourn, Registered Dietitian, Canada
Jenny is a 12-year-old girl referred to Shawna for nutritional assessment and concern about her limited food intake due to extreme anxiety around food. On assessment both Jenny’s height and weight were clearly affected by undernourishment. In this 50-minute case study, Shawna describes her nutrition plan for Jenny in detail.