SUSS Partners with Local Restaurants to Introduce and Expand Dysphagia-Friendly Dining Options in Singapore

Singapore, 12 January 2026 – For the first time in Singapore, dysphagia-friendly meals are being served in mainstream restaurants. Led by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), the initiative is piloted through an inclusive pop-up dining programme partnering with two local restaurants to support older adults and individuals with dysphagia, a medical condition that affects swallowing, as well as those with chewing difficulties.  

Ms Wong Ting Mei(right) feeding her mother, Mdm Chin Chieu Hoye (left), aged 100, the Stewed Beancurd with Minced Beef from the inclusive dining menu.

Organised under SUSS’ Dignity Dining: Age Better, Age+ Community Engagement Series, the two-day pilot will take place on 12 and 13 January 2026 at Imperial Treasure (Great World City) and 5 Senses Café & Restaurant respectively. The initiative demonstrates how dysphagia-friendly options can be thoughtfully integrated into regular restaurant menus, while maintaining the quality, presentation and dining standards expected of a mainstream restaurant experience.  

As Singapore transitions towards a super-aged society¹, ensuring that older adults can continue to participate in everyday social activities is becoming increasingly important. Dining out, a central part of social and family life, remains challenging for many older adults and individuals with dysphagia.

Addressing Dysphagia in Singapore

In Singapore, dysphagia affects about one in seven older adults (15%)², making it a growing but often overlooked challenge in an ageing society. Beyond older adults, the condition also affects individuals living with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia, as well as stroke survivors who experience swallowing difficulties as part of their recovery.

While specialised meals and safe-swallowing practices are available in care settings, such options remain limited in mainstream restaurants, leaving many individuals and families with few viable choices when dining out.

To address this gap, SUSS has been working with The Project Futurus and the two participating restaurants since November last year to co-develop and pilot dysphagia-friendly menu options in mainstream dining settings. Aligned with national efforts such as the EatSafe SG initiative by the Ministry of Health, the pilot promotes safe-swallowing practices through community engagement. Community partners, including SG Assist, Vanguard Healthcare, TOUCH Community Services, Society for WINGS, Dementia Alliance International, Dementia Singapore, and Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital are integral to the initiative, contributing domain expertise and on-the-ground support to strengthen care pathways, address gaps in support for persons with dysphagia, and enable older adults and caregivers to access inclusive dining opportunities while reinforcing safe-swallowing practices within the community.

Inclusive dining menu prepared by Imperial Treasure for attendees at the pop-up dining experience on 12 January 2026.

Through this initiative, SUSS brings together partners across research, food and beverage, and community care to address interrelated challenges faced by older adults, including access to soft-meal options and the risk of malnutrition. By connecting different parts of the ecosystem, the University supports practical, community-based solutions that enable safer dining and promote ageing in place.

Associate Professor Carol Ma, Head, Gerontology Programmes, SUSS, said “This pilot serves to address a real and growing need and supports ageing in place by expanding inclusive dining options for individuals with dysphagia. SUSS is excited to be partnering with local restaurants for the first time, alongside The Project Futurus and our community partners, to remove barriers that often keep families and friends from dining together. Such initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to advancing social good through inclusive practices and the co-creation of practical solutions that make every day experiences more accessible to all.”

Inclusive Dining in Practice

As part of the pilot, participating restaurants will present a curated selection of chewing- and swallowing-friendly dishes inspired by familiar local and Chinese cuisine. The menus feature texture-modified versions of well-loved dishes, demonstrating that soft meals need not be plain or institutional and can retain familiar flavours, visual appeal and the comfort of everyday dishes, while meeting safe-swallowing requirements.

To support the sustainable adoption of such offerings, SUSS is working closely with participating restaurant operators on capacity building beyond the dining floor. This includes training for kitchen and frontline staff, co-developing menus and providing practical tools to support soft-meal preparation. These efforts were guided by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation (IDDSI) Framework, enabling restaurants to build inclusive dining practices beyond pop-up sessions, expanding access and benefiting more individuals and families in the long run.

Ms Queenie Man, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Project Futurus, said, “Our study shows that people with chewing and swallowing difficulties want to dine out but face limited options. This pilot with SUSS demonstrates how inclusive dining can be implemented in everyday restaurants while supporting safe-swallowing practices for an ageing population.”

Mr Kenny Leung, Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Treasure Group, said, “Imperial Treasure is pleased to support SUSS in introducing an inclusive dining pilot in Singapore, offering authentic Chinese delicacies thoughtfully crafted for individuals with chewing and swallowing difficulties, including the older adults, so they can continue to savour good food and enjoy their golden years.”

Mr Shaun Foo, Operations Manager & Co-Founder of 5 Senses Cafe & Restaurant, said, “We believe that food is more than nourishment, and working on this pilot allowed our team to better understand the needs of diners with swallowing difficulties. It has shown us that we can tune our preparation and service processes – making dining out a more inclusive experience without altering the essence of it.”

Following the pilot, participating restaurants may continue or adapt these offerings in ways that best suit their operations and customers.

A Broader Movement for Ageing Well

The inclusive dining pilot is part of the broader Age Better, Age+ movement by SUSS, supported by The Ngee Ann Kongsi, which aims to enhance inclusive experiences for older adults and encourage intergenerational interactions through applied research and community partnerships. Building on the pilot programme with The Project Futurus and elderly care operators in 2024, the current pilot represents the next phase of the initiative: moving inclusive dining from care environments into everyday restaurant settings.  

To date, the Age Better, Age+ Community Engagement Series has engaged more than 3,000 beneficiaries across its initiatives. Following this pilot, SUSS will continue to work with community and industry partners to advance the development of an inclusive dining culture in Singapore and address emerging ageing-related issues and needs of an ageing society.

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