Which action should occur immediately before checking if the resident swallowed before offering the next bite?

Which action should occur immediately before checking if the resident swallowed before offering the next bite?

• A. Use spoon to feed
• B. Leave area around resident's mouth clean & dry
• C. Record resident's intake on Food Acceptance Record
• D. Offer fluids during feeding every 3 bites

Answer: (A)

Helping a resident safely during feeding centers on watching for swallowing after each bite before offering more. The step you perform right before checking whether swallowing occurred is using a spoon to present the next bite. This provides something to swallow and gives you a moment to observe for signs of swallowing or aspiration, such as coughing or pocketing, before proceeding. Other actions like cleaning the mouth, recording intake, or offering fluids at a set interval happen at different points in the feeding sequence and aren’t the immediate action before the swallow check.

Helping a resident safely during feeding centers on watching for swallowing after each bite before offering more. The step you perform right before checking whether swallowing occurred is using a spoon to present the next bite. This provides something to swallow and gives you a moment to observe for signs of swallowing or aspiration, such as coughing or pocketing, before proceeding. Other actions like cleaning the mouth, recording intake, or offering fluids at a set interval happen at different points in the feeding sequence and aren’t the immediate action before the swallow check.