Maryland Geriatric Nursing Aide (GNA) Practice Exam

When someone has dysphagia, the goal is to make swallowing safer while still meeting nutrition and hydration needs. Thickened liquids and pureed foods change how food and drink move through the mouth and throat, making it easier to control and less likely to enter the airway. Thick liquids flow more slowly, giving the swallow muscles more time to coordinate, while pureed foods have a smooth texture that reduces the chance of choking. Keeping the resident upright during meals uses gravity to help the swallow and lower the risk of aspiration. Together, these adjustments reduce the risk of choking and pneumonia and support safer eating and drinking. Other options don’t fit safety goals: spicy foods don’t reliably improve swallowing and can irritate the throat; skipping meals leads to malnutrition and dehydration; giving only thin water doesn’t reduce choking risk and can still be aspirated.