Feasibility of dysphagia cup for older adults living in residential care homes: a preliminary study

Dysphagia is highly prevalent in older adults living in care homes, which leads to a decline in quality of life and is associated with many poor health outcomes. However, there is a lack of research on adaptive dysphagia interventions that are cognitively non-demanding for the recipient. This preliminary study aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a dysphagia cup “Sippa” to assist older adults in drinking water safely. It was a one-group pre-post study. From July to September 2023, older adults aged ≥ 65 with dysphagia from two residential care homes in Hong Kong were recruited. During a 5-day pre-test (from 7 am to 3pm), older adults were spoon-fed or used conventional cups to drink water. Then, they were trained to use Sippa for 3 days. During the 5-day post-test (from 7 am to 3pm), older adults used Sippa to drink water. Feedback from 10 care staff and 6 older adults was collected through individual interviews. Primary outcome was the daily water intake. Secondary outcomes included the frequency and severity of choking or coughing while drinking water and the willingness to drink water. Linear mixed models and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data was analyzed by content analysis. 16 older adults completed this trial. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-intervention in daily water intake ( p = 0.725), frequency of choking or coughing ( p = 0.657), severity of choking or coughing ( p = 0.693), and willingness to drink water ( p = 0.788). Older adults generally perceived using Sippa as a safe alternative tool to drink water intake. However, care staff expressed several barriers of using Sippa, including expensive fragile pads, comprehensive cleaning procedures, and a manpower shortage to monitor usage. This preliminary study suggests that Sippa cup, as an assistive technology product, hold promise in supporting safe water intake among older adults, though several implementation barriers remain. It is necessary to consider factors such as product and consumable costs, the time required for training and user adaptation, and caregiver acceptance when implementing such dysphagia cups. Clinical trial number: NCT05818501 ( https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ ).