Care Food Resource Centre

Resources on this page are free for:

• Families and caregivers — caring for elderly with dysphagia at home
• Care home staff — care workers, nurses, kitchen staff
• Healthcare professionals — speech therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians
• Chefs and kitchen managers — preparing IDDSI-compliant meals
• Students and researchers — reference materials for related disciplines

All materials may be freely downloaded, printed, and shared for non-commercial use. For institutional training or publication use, please contact us first.

Free Downloads: Official IDDSI Resources

The following resources are provided free of charge by IDDSI (iddsi.net) and can be downloaded directly:

IDDSI Complete Framework Document

• Source: iddsi.net/Framework
• Content: Full definitions for all 8 levels, food testing methods, drink thickness testing methods
• Language: English (official); multilingual versions including Traditional Chinese available
• Ideal for: Healthcare professionals, care home training materials

IDDSI Quick Reference Sheet

• Source: iddsi.net/resources
• Content: A4 colour chart, printable for kitchen or nursing station
• Ideal for: Daily use by kitchen and care staff

IDDSI Testing Cards

• Source: iddsi.net/resources
• Content: Fork pressure test and syringe flow test instruction cards
• Ideal for: Kitchen quality control and care home self-audit

IDDSI e-Learning

• Source: iddsi.net/Training
• Content: Free self-paced online course covering IDDSI framework application and texture characteristics per level
• Ideal for: All care food staff, particularly useful for onboarding new employees

All links above point to the official IDDSI website. softmeal.org does not modify or endorse their content.

Hong Kong Local Resources

Hospital Authority (HA) Guidelines

HA Patient Education Materials

• Website: ha.org.hk
• Speech therapy departments at public hospitals across Hong Kong provide dysphagia assessment and dietary adjustment recommendations. Patient education leaflets are available from each hospital cluster.

Community Geriatric Assessment Teams (CGAT)

• Referral: via GP or social worker to HA Geriatric Day Hospitals
• Services: swallowing assessment, dietary advice, follow-up care

Geriatric Specialist Outpatient Clinics

• Referral: via GP
• Services: swallowing function assessment, speech therapy referral

HKCSS Care Food Resources

Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)

• Website: hkcss.org.hk
• HKCSS publishes care food guidelines and maintains a list of endorsed care food suppliers (Care Food Guide)
• Care homes may reference the HKCSS endorsed supplier list when making procurement decisions

Professional Organisations

Hong Kong Speech and Hearing Association (HKSHA)

Hong Kong Speech and Hearing Association (HKSHA)

• Website: hksha.org
• Functions: Maintains a directory of accredited speech therapists, publishes clinical guidelines, offers continuing education
• To find a private speech therapist, use the association’s therapist search function
• Also publishes public education materials on dysphagia

Hong Kong Association of Speech-Language Pathologists (HKSAT)

• Website: hksat.org
• Provides a register of registered speech-language pathologists, searchable by district

Hong Kong Dietitians Association (HKDA)

Hong Kong Dietitians Association (HKDA)

• Website: hkda.com.hk
• Functions: Maintains a directory of accredited dietitians
• Note: Dysphagia management in care home residents commonly requires joint input from speech therapists and dietitians, as malnutrition is a co-occurring concern. Both professionals should be involved in care planning where possible.

softmeal.org Free Downloads

IDDSI 8-Level Chart (Traditional Chinese)

• Format: A4 PDF, printable
• Content: All 8 levels (Level 0–7+EC), colour-coded, food examples per level, dangerous foods list
• Ideal for: Posting in kitchen or nursing station

IDDSI Family Reference Card

• Format: A5 PDF (double-sided)
• Content: Simplified 8-level guide for non-specialists
• Ideal for: Posting on the refrigerator door

Fork Pressure Test & Syringe Flow Test Instructions

• Format: A4 PDF
• Content: Step-by-step illustrated instructions, pass criteria
• Ideal for: Kitchen quality control

Soft Meal Recipe Collection (Level 4–5) Volume 1

• Format: A4 PDF, full colour
• Content: 5 recipes (Steamed Egg with Silken Tofu, Pumpkin Cream Purée, Smooth Chicken Congee, Steamed Fish with Broccoli, Banana Oat Porridge)
• Each recipe includes: ingredients, steps, texture test results, nutrition tips
• Ideal for: Home and small care home kitchens

Volume 2 coming soon: Level 5–6 solid foods and thickened beverages

Meal Observation Record Form

• Format: A4 PDF, handwrite-friendly
• Content: Per-meal eating records (amount eaten, choking incidents, food texture, abnormalities)
• Columns: 7-day recording capacity
• Ideal for: Providing to speech therapists for follow-up

Pre-meal Checklist for Dysphagia Patients

• Format: A5 PDF (single page)
• Content: 10-point pre-meal checklist (posture, oral hygiene, thickener preparation, texture verification)
• Ideal for: Daily use by care workers

Understanding GBA Care Food Standard T/SATA 084-2025

• Format: A4 PDF, 4 pages
• Content: Standard overview, comparison with IDDSI, applicable institutions, FAQ
• Ideal for: Care home management, procurement staff

PDF downloads opening soon. To receive resources in advance, please contact [email protected].

Key Terms Glossary (Cantonese / Mandarin / English)

How to Download

Terms of Use

All resources on this site use CC BY-NC 4.0 licence:

• Free to download, copy, and distribute
• May be used for education and non-commercial training
• Not for commercial publication or sale
• Source attribution must not be removed

For commercial licensing or customised versions, contact [email protected].

Hong Kong Organisations

Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)

Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)

• Website: hkcss.org.hk
• HKCSS is the umbrella body for Hong Kong’s social service sector, representing over 500 member agencies. It leads care food standardisation efforts and maintains an endorsed care food supplier list for care homes and day centres. HKCSS publishes annual care food guidelines and training materials for NGO staff.
• Ideal for: care home management, social workers, NGO staff

HKCSS Care Food Guide

• HKCSS endorses care food suppliers meeting established quality standards; care homes may reference the endorsed list when procuring soft meals, frozen food, or delivery services
• Updated annually, covering frozen texture-modified meals, delivery services and institutional food products

Hospital Authority (HA)

Hospital Authority

• Website: ha.org.hk
• The HA operates 43 public hospitals and medical institutions across Hong Kong. Each hospital cluster has a speech therapy department providing dysphagia assessment and dietary texture recommendations.
• Patient education leaflets are available from each cluster. Always request a written Dysphagia Diet Prescription from the ward speech therapist before hospital discharge.

HA Geriatric Services

• Geriatric specialist outpatient clinics and geriatric day hospitals offer multi-disciplinary assessment, including speech therapists, occupational therapists, and dietitians working collaboratively
• Referral pathway: GP referral to geriatric outpatient clinic, or transfer from acute admission to geriatric day hospital

Hong Kong Speech-Language Therapists Association (HKSLTA)

Hong Kong Speech-Language Therapists Association (HKSLTA)

• Website: hkslta.org.hk
• HKSLTA represents the professional interests of speech-language therapists in Hong Kong. The association publishes clinical guidelines, continuing education programmes, and position statements on dysphagia management.
• Provides a therapist directory for the public to locate private speech therapists in their district

Hong Kong Dietitians Association (HKDA)

Hong Kong Dietitians Association (HKDA)

• Website: hkda.com.hk
• HKDA accredits practising dietitians in Hong Kong and maintains a public register. Dysphagia patients frequently present with concurrent malnutrition — joint input from both SLPs and dietitians is considered best practice in care planning.
• The association publishes nutritional intervention guidelines for dysphagia patients, available to member dietitians

Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association (HKOTA)

Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association (HKOTA)

• Website: hkota.org.hk
• Occupational therapists play a key role in dysphagia care: assessing adaptive eating equipment, positioning, and head/neck posture training during meals
• HKOTA maintains a register of OTs practising in Hong Kong. Care homes and families can enquire about community occupational therapy services.

Academic Resources

Official IDDSI Academic Resources

IDDSI Research Library

• Source: iddsi.net/research
• Collects peer-reviewed literature supporting the IDDSI framework, testing methodology research, and systematic reviews of texture-modified diet standards
• Ideal for: researchers, students, and clinicians seeking evidence base

IDDSI Framework (2019 Full Version)

• Free download: iddsi.net/Framework
• Covers: detailed definitions for all 8 levels, standardised testing methods for foods and drinks, multilingual versions including Traditional Chinese
• Citation: Cichero JAY et al. (2017). New Standardized Terminology and Definitions for Texture-Modified Foods and Thickened Fluids Used in Dysphagia Management. Curr Dev Nutr.

International Academic Databases

PubMed / MEDLINE

• URL: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• Suggested search: “dysphagia diet” [MeSH] OR “texture modified food” AND “Hong Kong”
• Free access to a large body of dysphagia research, including Hong Kong-based studies

Dysphagia Journal (Springer)

• The leading international peer-reviewed journal for dysphagia research, publishing studies on swallowing science, assessment tools, and clinical management

WHO Guidelines

WHO Ageing and Health

• URL: www.who.int/ageing
• WHO Global Action Plan on Ageing guidance on care food and elderly nutrition — useful reference for care home policy development

WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)

• Dysphagia is classified under body functions (b5105 — swallowing functions) in the ICF framework, providing a common language for cross-disciplinary communication

Local Support Services

HA General Out-patient Clinic (GOPC) Allied Health Services

GOPC Speech Therapy Referral

• Eligibility: Hong Kong residents holding a valid HKID
• Referral pathway: GOPC doctor refers to speech therapy within the same hospital cluster
• Services: initial swallowing assessment, IDDSI level recommendation, caregiver education
• Fee: standard HA consultation fee (currently HKD 135; waived for CSSA recipients or holders of Elderly Healthcare Vouchers)

HA Outreach Assessment

• For care home residents with limited mobility, some hospital clusters offer outreach speech therapy assessment. Enquire through the care home social worker or attending doctor.

Social Welfare Department (SWD) Elderly Care Services

Integrated Home Care Services (IHCS)

• Type I: basic home care
• Type II: for frail elderly — includes meal services; some providers offer soft or texture-modified meal options
• Application: through the local SWD office or medical social worker; hotline: 2343 2255

Neighbourhood Elderly Centres (EDS)

• Operated by NGOs (e.g. Hong Kong Christian Service, Hong Kong Family Welfare Society) across the territory
• Some centres provide weekday lunch services; enquire whether soft meal or texture-modified options are available
• Locate your nearest centre: www.swd.gov.hk

Community Care Service Voucher (CCSV) Scheme

• Provides subsidised community care for elderly with long-term care needs, including day care and meal delivery
• Approved voucher holders may select from recognised service providers, some of whom offer dysphagia-friendly meal options
• Enquiries: Elderly Services Hotline 2343 2255

Private and NGO Caregiver Resources

Carer Support

• HKCSS Caregiver Resource Centres: www.hkcss.org.hk
• Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association: professional training and public education on elderly care
• Hong Kong Alzheimer’s Disease Association (HKADA): www.hkada.org.hk — dysphagia prevalence is high in dementia patients; the association provides carer training programmes

Contribute Your Resources

Are you a speech therapist, dietitian, or care food researcher? We welcome professional contributions:

• Evidence-based recipes
• Research summaries
• Educational materials

Contributors will be credited in resources and may build a professional profile on this site.

Contact: [email protected] (please include “Resource Contribution” in the subject line)

All resources are for reference purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. External links point to the official websites of respective organisations; softmeal.org is not responsible for their content.