Japan's care food "Universal Design Foods" is designed to allow elderly people who have difficulty chewing and swallowing to enjoy a nutritious diet. Various methods of processing ingredients have been developed to soften food and make it easier to eat. On the one hand, it can maintain the appearance of food, stimulate the cognitive function and appetite of the elderly, and arouse their memory of food through vision and smell. On the other hand, this can maintain the dignity of the elderly and avoid eating through a nasogastric tube or blending all the food together in a juicer, thereby achieving the purpose of maintaining nutrition.
What is Japanese care food?
Regular meal
Except for the ingredients that the elderly cannot eat,
General ingredients will be used. Basically, condition until soft.
Tenderized diet
食物切成細碎狀，並使用增稠液進行包覆， 入口後可以直接吞入， 可用舌頭、 顎間壓碎的食物
Softmeal
不使用難咀嚼的食材，運用軟化調理方法或本身就柔軟的食材，保有形狀但可用舌頭、 顎間、 牙齦壓碎的食物
Pureed meal
果汁機攪打成流動狀
Problems that patients with dysphagia may encounter when eating pureed/blended meals
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進食時容易誤嚥及引起嗆咳
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無法保持食物原有的形狀，導致食慾降低
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口腔容易殘留食物
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用餐時間較長
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因進食份量不足，未能攝取足夠的營養及水分
軟餐
提供的解決方案
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Helps reduce the chances of elderly people swallowing and coughing during meals
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Preserve the original flavor of food and enhance its appearance
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Reduces food residue in the mouth, thus helping maintain oral hygiene
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Feeding is more convenient and clean for caregivers
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Overall, it helps improve the diet and quality of life of patients with dysphagia
