As the aged care sector continues its transition toward a rights-based model under the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, residential aged care providers are increasingly challenged to balance clinical risk management with dignity of risk, autonomy, and resident choice.
Eating and Drinking with Acknowledged Risk (EDAR) has emerged as a critical area where these principles intersect, particularly for residents living with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), dementia, frailty, and chronic disease. Traditionally framed through a lens of aspiration prevention and clinical liability, EDAR conversations are now rightly evolving into broader discussions about quality of life, hospitality, and person-centred care.
Speech pathologists play a pivotal role in this transformation. Beyond assessment and management of swallowing disorders, contemporary speech pathology practice in aged care is increasingly focused on enabling meaningful dining experiences while supporting informed decision-making. There’s an ongoing shift from risk avoidance through restrictive diets and fluids towards consumer dignity, choice, culturally responsive care, and partnership in care planning. In practice, this requires speech pathologists to move beyond restrictive recommendations and collaborate closely with residents, families, hospitality teams, nurses, dietitians, and care staff to develop sustainable, individualised mealtime strategies.
This proposed presentation will explore how speech pathologists are contributing to “Smart Hospitality” models within residential aged care by embedding EDAR principles into dining service delivery. It will highlight innovative approaches that support both safety and enjoyment, including interdisciplinary EDAR pathways, resident-led goal setting, texture-modified meal enhancement initiatives, shared decision-making frameworks, and staff education programs designed to improve confidence and consistency in mealtime support. Practical examples will demonstrate how speech pathologists are partnering with hospitality teams to redefine dining as a therapeutic, social, and consumer-driven experience rather than solely a clinical task.
The presentation will also examine the operational and ethical challenges associated with EDAR implementation in aged care settings, including documentation practices, informed consent processes, variable workforce capability, and balancing regulatory expectations with resident autonomy. Emerging evidence and sector trends suggest that overly risk-averse approaches may inadvertently reduce nutrition, hydration, social engagement, and overall wellbeing. In contrast, collaborative EDAR models can improve resident satisfaction, strengthen family engagement, and support compliance with the strengthened Standards by demonstrating genuine consumer choice and dignity in care delivery.
Importantly, this session positions speech pathologists as key contributors to the future of hospitality in healthcare. By integrating clinical expertise with person-centred hospitality principles, speech pathologists can help aged care providers create dining experiences that are safer, more inclusive, and more meaningful for residents. This represents a significant opportunity for the profession to lead innovation within the aged care sector while supporting organisations to meet evolving regulatory and consumer expectations.
Aligned with the conference theme, “Smart Hospitality: Redefining Service in Healthcare,” this presentation will encourage attendees to reconsider how risk, choice, and dining experience are approached within residential aged care. It will provide practical insights and scalable strategies for organisations seeking to move beyond compliance-driven models toward hospitality-focused systems that place resident wellbeing, autonomy, and quality of life at the centre of care.