Improving Quality of Life with Biozoon ‘Air with Flavour’

Improving Quality of Life with Biozoon ‘Air with Flavour’ – a patient story

Tell me about how you and Ray have been using Biozoon flavoured air:

We took it to my nieces wedding a few weeks ago. It’s been amazing, a godsend! Ray used it to have some bubbles of lager shandy, coffee and at the end of the night bought a round of drinks, including a Guinness for himself! We kept it on the table or my lap. It’s not big or intrusive. A few people asked and we told them about it but it didn’t feel like a big thing!

If he couldn’t taste it he wouldn’t want to do it but he does. It kept him happy the day of the wedding, even just having it there as an option. It arrived really quickly too!

We use it about 4 or 5 times a week now, for coffee and squash in the house and we plan to take it to a café soon.

Yvonne spoke of her apprehension in the lead up to the wedding, worrying how Ray would feel being around food and drink for much of the day…
I was dreading it if I’m honest, it was a concern. We didn’t think we would have a good day but we did. It was brilliant. It made all the difference.

If he couldn’t have had anything it would have been hard. I honestly think if we hadn’t had it the day of the wedding we’d have been home in a taxi. We wouldn’t have stayed.

Yvonne spoke of their use of the flavoured air product in everyday life…
If he sees me making a cup of tea, he goes like this (gestures a small amount of drink). He enjoys having a coffee using it. Before he found the sips and coated spoons of oral tasters he was having effortful and messy because so much would spill out. This is much easier and he enjoys it. He would only have about two attempts before with his tasters but he will happily sit there with a coffee. I use the machine to foam it up when needed and he helps himself to the bubbles until he’s had enough. It’s also helping him practice his swallowing more.

When asked if she had noticed any side effects like problematic saliva…
Not really. It’s been fine. Actually I’ve noticed that it’s been better for his mouth as he doesn’t seem as dry.

Yvonne reflected on how it has impacted on family life…
It used to upset my daughter to see him having his oral tasters because it was such hard work for him. She couldn’t stay with him as she found it too difficult to watch. This is easy and he enjoys it so it means we can all sit together and have a coffee.

Ray’s Views…
Ray was able to point to key words to indicate how he felt about using the product. He chose ‘easy’ and ‘good’. Asked how it made him feel and Ray pointed to ‘happy’ and indicated that he wished to ‘carry on’ using it.

Patient story completed with Rebecca Mears, Senior Specialist Speech and language therapist, Cardiff Community Resource Team. Names, details and photograph shared with full permission. Please contact Rebecca.mears@wales.nhs.uk for any queries, advice or support.