Being practically, professionally and personally prepared: Supporting people with intellectual disability and dysphagia to eat and drink outside the home

Abstract

Purpose

Eating and drinking outside the home is important for participation and social inclusion for people with intellectual disability and dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) but is likely to come with additional challenges. This qualitative research aimed to identify the challenges and strategies used by people with intellectual disability and dysphagia and their carers when eating outside the home.

Method

This study used a qualitative research design and reflexive researcher stance following an interpretive phenomenological methodology to understand the nature of the phenomenon “supporting people to eat and drink outside the home”. Participants (n = 20) including those with intellectual disability and dysphagia (ages 20–30 years), their support staff and families were interviewed about eating and drinking outside the home. Semi-structured interviews were used. Interviews were analysed thematically.

Result

Three overarching themes were extracted using thematic analysis. These were being fully prepared; being a confident and respectful advocate; and being open to the varied responses of other people.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that there are unique challenges for people with intellectual disability and dysphagia and their carers when eating outside the home. There was a need to be practically, professionally, and personally prepared for eating outside the home. There is a need, therefore, to specifically address the challenges of eating outside the home and sharing the strategies used by others to overcome these challenges.

Keywords:

• intellectual disability
• dysphagia
• participation

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants who took part in this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.