Mealtimes are about much more than food - they’re moments of connection, culture, and quality of life. Yet for people living with disability, swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) can place them at significant risk of choking, aspiration pneumonia, and malnutrition.

This webinar, led by Dr Rebecca Packer and Jen Ryan explores why mealtimes truly matter and how speech pathologists can provide safe, person-centred, and ethical support in community settings. Across four key sections, the presenters unpack the prevalence and risks of swallowing disorders, rethink traditional approaches to assessment, share evidence-based intervention strategies, and guide clinicians through complex decision-making, including eating and drinking with acknowledged risk.

By combining research insights with real-world practice examples, this session equips clinicians with practical tools to balance safety, dignity, and enjoyment at mealtimes.

Learning objectives

Upon successful completion of this workshop, participants will be able to

• Describe the prevalence and impact of swallowing disorders in community settings, particularly for people with disability.
• Identify key risk factors that influence safe swallowing and mealtime participation.
• Apply holistic assessment approaches that extend beyond the swallow to consider social, cultural, and environmental factors.
• Outline evidence-based intervention strategies and supports relevant to community-based practice.
• Evaluate ethical principles, values, and frameworks (including informed choice and shared decision making) that underpin dysphagia management.
• Support safe, person-centered mealtimes by developing practical management plans in collaboration with individuals, families, and care teams.

Dr Rebecca Packer

Dr Rebecca Packer is a Senior Lecturer and Early Career Researcher in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland.

Dr Packer has attracted over $2.4M in research funding and published over 30 research articles and book chapters with her main focus on understanding the psychosocial impacts of living with, and adjusting to swallowing disorders from the perspective of the person with dysphagia and their families.

Dr Packer teaches across all years of the Undergraduate and Graduate Entry Master's Speech Pathology Program.

Jen Ryan

Jen Ryan has been supporting individuals with disability as a Speech Pathologist for almost 20 years.

She has worked in government funded services, and more recently in private practices supporting participants accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

She has an interest in providing appropriate supports to individuals across the lifespan to participate as independently as possible in all areas of their life.

Jen provides clinical supervision, education and training to therapists working in the disability sector, and guest lectures final year speech pathology students at the University of Queensland.

Pricing

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• Training Hours: 1.00