Choking on food and aspiration pneumonia are two of the leading causes of death for people with disability and older people in residential settings. These tragic deaths can be prevented with proper care and attention to every person’s swallowing and mealtime needs – whether that be through assessment by a speech pathologist, a clear and helpful mealtime plan, effective mealtime supervision, or attention to the person’s positioning during and after meals.

In this episode Professor Bronwyn Hemsley and her guests with lived experiences of swallowing difficulty and choking on food, or investigating deaths due to choking on food, discuss the many angles of choking on food that demand greater and urgent attention.

Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Seed Grant fund supporting co-production of this episode.

Resources:

Safer Care Victoria (2026) GUIDANCE – Communicating Safe Eating and Drinking (Victoria State Government, Australia) - https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%20-%20Communicating%20safe%20eating%20and%20drinking%20-%20Accessible.docx

 

Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley

Guests: Fiona Given (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, coughing on food), Meredith Allan (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, food choking, and changes in swallowing across the lifespan), and Adjunct Professor Dr Jeffrey Chan

Producer: Ali Aitken

Choking on food and aspiration pneumonia are two of the leading causes of death for people with disability and older people in residential settings. These tragic deaths can be prevented with proper care and attention to every person&rsquo;s swallowing and mealtime needs &ndash; whether that be through assessment by a speech pathologist, a clear and helpful mealtime plan, effective mealtime supervision, or attention to the person&rsquo;s positioning during and after meals.
In this episode Professor Bronwyn Hemsley and her guests with lived experiences of swallowing difficulty and choking on food, or investigating deaths due to choking on food, discuss the many angles of choking on food that demand greater and urgent attention.
Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Seed Grant fund supporting co-production of this episode.
Resources:
Safer Care Victoria (2026) GUIDANCE &ndash; Communicating Safe Eating and Drinking (Victoria State Government, Australia) - <a href="https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%25252520-%25252520Communicating%25252520safe%25252520eating%25252520and%25252520drinking%25252520-%25252520Accessible.docx">https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%20-%20Communicating%20safe%20eating%20and%20drinking%20-%20Accessible.docx</a>
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Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley
Guests: Fiona Given (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, coughing on food),&nbsp;Meredith Allan (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, food choking, and changes in swallowing across the lifespan),&nbsp;and Adjunct Professor Dr Jeffrey Chan
Producer: Ali Aitken

Discover the latest research and insights in Speech Pathology from the University of Technology Sydney. Join Professor Bronwyn Hemsley, Head of Speech Pathology at UTS, as she starts the conversations shaping the field. A must-listen for speechies, students, and their curious friends.

Discover the latest research and insights in Speech Pathology from the University of Technology Sydney. Join Professor Bronwyn Hemsley, Head of Speech Pathology at UTS, as she starts the conversations shaping the field. A must-listen for speechies, students, and their curious friends.

What’s Got Us Talking: A UTS Speech Pathology Podcast

Discover the latest research and insights in Speech Pathology from the University of Technology Sydney. Join Professor Bronwyn Hemsley, Head of Speech Pathology at UTS, as she starts the conversations shaping the field. A must-listen for speechies, students, and their curious friends.