Following brain injury, the person with communication impairments may struggle to convey essential information to ensure satisfactory nutrition and hydration. For example they may be unable to communicate:
- Requests for food and drink.
- That they are thirsty or hungry.
- That they have not eaten or drunk.
- Their likes and dislikes.
- Their need for assistance in obtaining food/fluid.
- Their need for practical and physical assistance with shopping, preparing or purchasing meals.
• Their need for physical assistance to actually eat and drink i.e. having the motor skills to carry out actions required for eating and drinking.
• That they have problems with the physical ability to eat, drink and swallow safely (dysphagia).
