OHK

For Dysphagia Awareness Month, we're reflecting on an important shift in dysphagia catering.

Swipe through to see why awareness and training alone aren't enough, and how we're introducing Molila to support safer, more consistent dysphagia provision. 👉

💬 “For years, there have been lots of misunderstanding and lack of information on Dysphagia in care homes…”

This feedback from a recent delegate at our Paisley practical dysphagia training session really stood out to us.

Because that’s exactly why these courses exist.

Our practical training sessions are designed to bridge the gap between knowledge and implementation - giving catering teams the confidence, systems and practical techniques needed to deliver safer, more dignified and more enjoyable dining experiences for residents requiring texture modified diets.

One delegate described the processes as “ground breaking”, while another highlighted how the course helped reduce anxiety around a high-risk subject by improving understanding, consistency and safe working practices.

What made the sessions particularly impactful was the combination of:
✔️ Pre-course eLearning modules
✔️ Hands-on practical application
✔️ Real-world kitchen workflows
✔️ Structured systems through Molila
✔️ Open discussion around operational challenges

The result wasn’t just better understanding - it was teams leaving with actionable techniques they could immediately bring back into their own kitchens.

We also loved hearing that attendees are already looking at how these methods can influence future kitchen planning, menu development and team training within their organisations.

Thank you again to everyone who joined us in Paisley at West College Scotland - your engagement, openness and passion for improving resident care made the sessions incredibly valuable. Anavo Group Northcare Scotland Holmes Care Group West Dunbartonshire Council

We’re looking forward to organising our next set of practical training sessions - keep your eyes peeled for our next location announcements.

Today is World Nutrition Day... a reminder that nutrition matters for everyone, including those on texture-modified diets.

Catering for all diets means more than just providing food. It means delivering consistent, quality, nutritious IDDSI texture-modified meals that meet both safety standards and nutritional needs.

When systems are in place, people on texture-modified diets receive the same nutritional quality as everyone else, just as they should.

There’s something incredibly powerful about seeing kitchen teams gain confidence in a subject that has historically felt complex, inconsistent or even intimidating.

Following our recent practical dysphagia training sessions at West College Scotland in Paisley, the feedback from delegates has been fantastic - and really reinforces why these hands-on sessions matter.

One attendee shared:
“Other courses I have attended have been shorter and not a lot of practical work on session. Great course for all catering staff to attend… this will implement better techniques and make for a safer working environment.”

Another commented on how valuable it was to combine the pre-course eLearning with the practical day itself:
“The day was clear and well-structured, and I found the pre-course eLearning to be of great benefit in preparing me for the practical elements.”

These sessions are designed to move beyond theory alone - helping teams develop practical, repeatable skills that improve:
✔️ Safety and consistency
✔️ Understanding of IDDSI frameworks
✔️ Confidence in decision-making
✔️ Nutritional quality and presentation
✔️ Resident dining experiences

Most importantly, they help remove the “winging it” culture that still exists across parts of the sector and replace it with structured knowledge, safer systems and practical confidence.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended across the two days in Paisley and contributed so openly to discussions and practical activities. 👏 Anavo Group Northcare Scotland Holmes Care Group West Dunbartonshire Council

We’re excited to continue the next stages of the training series and support more teams in strengthening dysphagia competency within their kitchens.

As the weather warms up, hydration becomes even more critical, especially for people with dysphagia.

Warmer temperatures increase hydration needs, but for those requiring thickened fluids, staying hydrated presents extra challenges. Thickened drinks can be less appealing in warm weather, and timing becomes crucial.

Appropriate hydration methods matter:
✅ Consistent thickening across all drinks and shifts
✅ Offering variety, not just water
✅ Regular prompts built into care routines
✅ Temperature considerations for palatability
✅ Clear documentation of fluid intake

When hydration relies on individual memory rather than systems, it's the first thing to slip when services get busy and warmer weather makes that more risky.

Build hydration into your everyday workflows now, before the heat arrives.

We've been back in Sheffield this week at Blend Culinary Foundation for another fantastic practical dysphagia training session with the brilliant team at Aurem Care .

These sessions are all about bringing theory into real-world kitchen practice - exploring how structured systems like Molila can support safer, more consistent and more inclusive catering within care environments.

Together, we’ve been looking at how processes, workflows and practical implementation can help teams:
🔹 Improve safety and consistency
🔹 Support IDDSI-aligned meal production
🔹 Create more variety and choice for residents
🔹 Deliver nutritious meals that still look and taste great
🔹 Build confidence across kitchen teams

What’s always so valuable in these practical sessions is seeing teams engage with the why behind dysphagia catering - not just modifying food, but creating dining experiences that maintain dignity, enjoyment and quality for every resident.

A huge thank you to the Aurem team in the North for another engaging and collaborative session. We look forward to seeing the southern teams in Woking at the Gordon Ramsay Academy next month! 👏

Training builds knowledge and systems ensure consistency ✅

We've seen it time and again, teams complete excellent dysphagia training, standards improve... and then gradually slip back. Not because the training wasn't good, but because there's no system holding it in place.

Teams need more than knowledge. They need:
🧑‍🍳 Recipe validation - knowing which recipes are IDDSI-compliant and testing them properly
✍️ Menu structure - clear frameworks that work across all meal services
🔪 Kitchen consistency - standards that hold across different shifts and staff
📂 Documentation - clear records that satisfy regulators and support quality assurance

When these systems are embedded into everyday operations, training has something solid to build on. Standards hold under pressure and new staff inherit good practice.

This is why we don't just deliver training at OHK, we help build the structures that make good practice inevitable!

It's Dementia Action Week.

This week is an important time to focus on the specific challenges in dementia care, including dysphagia.

Swallowing difficulties are common in dementia, but they present differently. People may forget to chew, lose interest in eating, or struggle to recognise food. Communication challenges make assessment harder, and symptoms can fluctuate day to day.

The risks are significant: aspiration, malnutrition, dehydration, and reduced quality of life.

Dementia and dysphagia together require more than standard training. They require teams who understand how these conditions intersect and systems that support consistent, compassionate care.

If your organisation is looking to strengthen skills, safety, and quality in dysphagia catering, we’d love to hear from you.
Simply get in touch 👉 [email protected]

We've been working with University College Birmingham on something important, the future of workforce development in catering and care settings 🎓@
Our discussions have focused on a crucial question: how do you build knowledge, confidence, and consistency across an entire workforce, especially in environments dealing with staff turnover, role variation, and constant operational pressure?
This work sits at the heart of what OHK does. We operate at the intersection of education, practice, and real-world service delivery.

It's not about delivering one-off training sessions. It's about creating systems that develop people over time, systems that hold when staff change, when pressure increases, when roles evolve.

This work with University College Birmingham reinforces our commitment to raising standards across the sector through sustainable workforce development.