MODIFIED DIET INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES

LESSON PLAN

DYSPHAGIA
Ground and Pureed

Review dysphagia:
• Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulty.
• Patients with dysphagia patients may have difficulty swallowing
liquids, solids, or both.
• They may be at risk for choking and aspiration of food particles into
their lungs and sometimes need to be evaluated by therapists who test
their swallowing abilities.
• Depending on the patient’s level of impairment the therapist will
recommend a specific texture of food or degree of thickened liquids.

Review ground diet:

• This diet is designed for patients who can tolerate a minimum amount
of easily chewed foods.
• Foods; that can be a particular problem are meats.
• Ground diets often include mashed potatoes and well-cooked
vegetables that are easy to bite into.
• Patients on ground diets can eat most meat, such as chicken and beef,
as long as they are ground up first.
• No coarse textures, nuts, raw fruits (except very ripe or mashed
banana) or vegetables are allowed

Review pureed diet:

• Pureed diets are for patients who have a greater difficulty with
chewing and swallowing foods.
• Most foods can be pureed by adding liquid and blenderizing.
• This diet consists of thick, smooth, homogeneous, semi liquid
textures.
• Pureed foods should be “spoon-thick” or “pudding-like” consistency.
• Raw fruits and vegetables or stringy foods should not be used for
pureed diets.
Review related illnesses or physical problems:
• Patients with missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures often need a
modified diet. Dentures can become loose with weight loss or painful
to wear due to gum problems.
• Chewing difficulties can result from dementia, a stroke, or injuries to
the jaw as well as from normal aging.
 MODIFIED DIET INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES

POST TEST

DYSPHAGIA
Ground and Pureed

ANSWER TRUE OR FALSE

1 Dysphagia patients have difficulty swallowing liquids, solids,

or both.

2 Swallowing evaluations aren’t necessary for dysphagia patients.

3 Ground diets do not include mashed potatoes and well cooked

vegetables.

4 Patients on ground diets can eat chicken and beef as long as it is

ground.

5 Stringy foods such as celery are ideal for pureed diets.

6 Pureed diets are easier to chew and swallow than ground diets.

7 Patients with missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures don’t need a

modified diet.

8 Chewing difficulties can result from normal aging.

9 Ground diets should be “spoon thick” or “pudding like”

10 Unripe bananas are appropriate for patients on a ground diet

 MODIFIED DIET INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES

POST TEST ANSWER SHEET

DYSPHAGIA
Ground and Pureed

ANSWER TRUE OR FALSE

TRUE 1 Dysphagia patients have difficulty swallowing liquids, solids,

or both.

FALSE 2 Swallowing evaluations aren’t necessary for dysphagia patients.

FALSE 3 Ground diets do not include mashed potatoes and well cooked
vegetables.

TRUE 4 Patients on ground diets can eat chicken and beef as long as it is
ground.

FALSE 5 Stringy foods such as celery are ideal for pureed diets.

TRUE 6 Pureed diets are easier to chew and swallow than ground diets.

FALSE 7 Patients with missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures don’t need a

modified diet.

TRUE 8 Chewing difficulties can result from normal aging.

TRUE 9 Ground diets should be “spoon thick” or “pudding like”

FALSE 10 Unripe bananas are appropriate for patients on a ground diet