We therefore strive to inspire those living with Dysphagia and provide innovative ways to thicken* favourite drinks.
*If you can make a drink, you can thicken one like a clinician when you go Slõ.
Six things we would like you to remember us for…
* To give you an insight the effect of providing a Slõ Drinks has, here is one of our favourite stories that makes what we do worthwhile.
“A month after sending out an order, we followed it up to see if the buyer wanted more. He said no – but thanks? His Dad wanted to go to his local pub and have a glass of his favourite beer. He hadn’t had one for years as his dysphagia made it too risky. He found us, took his Dad to the pub and made a Slõ Beer. He loved it.
Shortly after his Dad passed away and whilst that was sad – he was grateful for us helping him to fulfil his Dad’s wish and a leaving him with a happy memory that will last forever. “
Those with living with dysphagia need drinks that flow slo.
Consequently, our sole purpose is to provide safer and easier to prepare enjoyable dysphagia friendly drinks.
For the first time, experienced and novice carers throughout the patients care pathway can ensure all the drinks dysphagia patients need for hydration, nutrition, to relax with and to take medication.
To maintain essential hydration levels mix Slõ Syrup – COLD into a glass of juice, water or iced tea; add Slõ Syrup – HOT into a cup of tea or coffee.
Supplement nutritional intake with a Slõ Milkshake+. Just mix with whole milk to make a high protein, high calorie shake full of 25 vitamins and minerals.
Slõ Wine, Cider or Beer and Slõ Fizzy (Soda) Drinks can be made with Slõ Syrup – COLD.
Pill-Eze is a ready to use Slõ Drink. It makes pills easy to swallow. Suitable for use with medicinal, supplement and laxative pills they all they glide down smoothly, don’t get stuck and its sweet cherry flavour hides the bad taste of a pill.
What is the difference between making a Slõ Drinks and a thickened drink with Thick and Easy and Resource etc.?
As you’ve probably seen, different drinks affect the effectiveness of thickeners. Consequently, you can’t use the same thickener for all drinks or add the same sized scoop of thickener to different drinks and expect to achieve the same consistency.
To overcome this, we use specific thickeners for different drinks.
Firstly, we make sure the thickener is tasteless. It must disperse easily, maintain its consistency over time and be amylase resistant.
Then, we calculate the quantity of thickener required per ml of a particular drink to make it match the IDDSI Levels.
Finally, we decide whether it’s better to add our thickener to the drink or vice versa. This has a massive impact on thickeners. …
As a result, all anyone has to do to make a Slõ Drink is mix it with the specified amount of fluid.
It will look like and ordinary drink and taste like one, it just flows slowly and is safer to swallow.
Vegetarians: Yes
Vegans: Yes
Halal* Diet: Yes
Kosher* Diet: Yes
*Please note they are not certified, but the ingredients are suitable.
Yes – with the exception of the Slõ Milkshakes+, but it depends on the patient. Diabetics with stable blood sugars do drink them.
Dietitians that use them, either serve them with foods or adjust their medication to compensate for the sugar within Slõ Milkshakes+.
As far as we know, only 3-5% of the water is absorbed by our thickeners.
Yes. We subject all drinks to the IDDSI Syringe test.
There is no certification for consistency only recommended flow rates provided by the IDDSI.
All Slõ Drinks match these. www.iddsi.org
Everyone has his or her own perception of what is the right consistency when adding thickener thickener from a tin.
Consequently, Slõ Drinks are guaranteed to always match the IDDSI flow rates, when our preparation instructions are followed.
Our thickeners are deposited into our products by machine, accurate +/- 0.2 of a gram. That’s about enough to cover your small fingernail and far more accurate than the human eye.
No.
Yes.
We’ve tried them with 3 tablespoons of salvia from people around the office and they are fine.
It’s due to the formulation of our thickeners and the way they are blended.
Slõ Milkshakes+ are our 1st fortified drinks. Made with full fat milk they are a high protein, high calorie oral nutritional supplement – a Nutri drink, that provide a mix of 25 essential vitamins and minerals.
You would have to check with the drinkers’ doctor. Tablet medication shouldn’t be crushed.
It’s contraindicated and doesn’t guarantee that the medication will be delivered correctly and released as required.
We would therefore recommend using Pill-Eze
You have to check with a patient’s Doctor. We would not recommend it. Liquid medications do not have a flow rating and diluting it in a drink will prevent the person having the recommended dose.
Our Pill-Eze can be used with solid dose alternatives.
No. We feel that would be a backward step and want to avoid Scoop-Stress.
Patients and their carers struggle to measure the right amount of thickener, in relation to the right volume of water/ fluid, so there is no way to guarantee a drink will meet a prescribed consistency.
It also degrades, Xanthan Gum used in clear drink thickeners is very sensitive to water and is affected by the moisture in the air. When you open a new tin, the thickener will work much better than the thickener in a tin which has been opened and used.
We therefore created Slõ Syrup – our liquid thickener
We use our own thickeners and they are high quality. Some are so pure they are classed as high grade. Consequently, they dissolve in drinks very quickly.
We are pioneers in using precise blends of high grade thickeners and are the only thickener supplier which uses 4 different types of thickeners. This is because different drinks affect the way thickeners work. We therefore test and select the most appropriate and effective one for each drink; and blend them when necessary.
We also specify whether you should add the drink to the thickener or vice versa. This has a massive effect on a thickener’s thickening ability.
Yes, but it will adjust the consistency.
So, if you want to fine tune the consistency for your patient, you must decide how little or how much you want to add before starting the drink.
No. They curdle.
Slõ Drinks cost the same or less to use than other drinks for dysphagia.
Anything from 1 to 18 months.
Yes.
They are used in UK Hospitals, the Community and bought by private individuals all around the world via our online shop.
We do not keep patients address details. Only their name so we can trace when a therapist has asked for samples.
We do not share or sell our records and we follow the guidelines from the Information UK Commissioners Office on keeping contact details.
Via our online shop www.slodrinks.com/shop and on Amazon.
Normally within 48 hours. Mon to Friday.
We have our own stringent data protection in place and are members of the UK’s Data Protection Agency.
We never share details with any third parties.
Not at the moment.
All Slõ Drinks are easy to use and therefore extensive training sessions are not required.
People with dysphagia need thickened drinks that flow slo.
Just to make the logo distinctive.
It doesn’t affect the way you say it or mean Slõ Drinks from Sweden!
It is an independent British company started in 2005 after the founder of Slõ Drinks had a chance conversation with a Speech and Language Therapist.
Walking out of a puree tasting he asked her, “Is there anything else your dysphagia patients would like?” She replied “A pleasant thickened drink.”
You can read our about our history here in our Slõ Story – link to new Slo Story Page
If someone has dysphagia, typically they need a long-term supply of thickener. Despite this they cannot obtain discounts for frequent use. This seems unfair when it is a necessity.
We therefore created the Slõ Drinkers Club.
This entitles Slõ Drinks buyers to receive discounts. The more the buy the higher the discount as we presume, they need it more.
It also entitles them to special offers at Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
Joining is easy and free, patients just add their details when they check out as you can see here: Slõ Drink Shop
They are the 1st pre-thickened and powdered protein rich oral nutritional supplement – Nutri drink, specifically created for those with dysphagia – in the world.
Currently available in Banana, Chocolate and Strawberry flavours at IDDSI Levels 1, 2 and 3.
They are used by healthcare professionals across the UK’s NHS and bought via our online shop by private individuals in the UK and around the world.
Since 2005, we’ve focused on making safer, easier to prepare, and more enjoyable dysphagia friendly drinks. Every Slõ Drink is crafted with care — and some take up to six years to perfect.
This is what drives us. you can read our Slõ Story on the website.
We are pioneers in testing how a drink affects the way thickeners work and the only company in the world to use different thickeners for different drinks. Slõ Milkshakes+ are the only ONS available at all IDDSI Levels.
As a result, you can be confident Slõ Milkshakes+ will always match the prescribed IDDSI Level.
Slõ Milkshakes+ contain a thickener that is formulated to work with milk.
Consequently, they provide the security of a pre-made thickened drinks for the price of a powdered one and remove all the stress associated with trying to thicken ordinary liquid supplements and powdered ones.
These cannot be thickened safely because the high fat content of the supplement prevents the starch and gum thickeners bonding to the milk.
All our drinks are tested thoroughly before being sold. The Slõ Milkshakes+ started development in 2014. After 4 years of development and patient testing. They were approved by the UK’s NHS for prescription in 2018.
No. They are deficient by approximately 0.2mg on 4 vitamins.
However, it is important to remember Slõ Milkshakes+ are the right flow rate, palatable and are therefore more likely to be drunk.
Yes. If kept in the fridge they will be fine all day. They must be drunk on the day they are made.
They are available in IDDSI Levels 1, 2 and 3.
Yes – but this will affect the nutritional content.
No. Slõ Milkshakes+ are designed for cold milk.
Heat allows the molecules in the thickener to move more quickly, so they don’t bind the water molecules in the liquid.
You therefore must use more thickener of reduce the volume of liquid to compensate. That turns it into a trial and error situation which is not ideal.
Yes.
There are some ingredients which are made from a cereal containing gluten where the grain is processed in such a way that the gluten is removed. These ingredients are safe for people with coeliac disease and therefore it is not necessary for the manufacturer to list the cereal they first came from. The glucose syrups derived from wheat in our Slõ Milkshakes+ is therefore safe.
Slõ Milkshakes+ haven’t been tested as it is not a requirement for ONS.
A Pharmacist would advise how milk – based products would be affected.
Up to 18 months.
Slõ Drinks is a privately owned UK Company and manufactured here in the UK.
Yes. It is made with MDO-PE film which is environmentally friendly and 100% recyclable.
The prices are set annually in January each year – unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Slõ Milkshakes+ have always been and will always be the most cost effective pre-thickened ONS on prescription providing the highest levels of protein per ml and £.
They also cost less to use. Supplied in completely recyclable packaging not single use bottles.
It is a liquid drinks thickener and can be used to safely thicken hot and cold drinks.
Our thickener is already dissolved in water, this makes it much easier to thicken a drink to the IDDSI Level prescribed as safer for someone to drink.
It also makes a Slõ Drink smooth. No lumps of undissolved thickener will be seen floating on the top of them.
Decide if you want to make a cold drink, (including alcoholic or carbonated) or hot drink, pick the right Slõ Syrup bottle and depress the pump the correct amount of times. E.g. 1 pump for IDDSI 1, 2 pumps for IDDSI 2 or 3 for IDDSI 3.
All thickeners need time to work – hydrate. You therefore need time for the particles in thickeners to bond to the water molecules and thicken a drink to the correct IDDSI Level.
All thickeners need time to work – hydrate. You therefore need time for the particles in thickeners to bond to the water molecules and thicken a drink to the correct IDDSI Level.
They are typically sold with 12 months shelf life and should be used within 10 weeks of opening.
Yes. Just clean in hot soapy water and leave to dry.
Yes.
No. Slõ Syrup makes no significant contribution to nutritional intake. It has been created specifically to aid safe hydration. Consequently, energy per 5ml dose is <0.5 Kcal.
A full nutritional breakdown is available on the website.
It is available in 1 litre and 200ml bottles.
1 Litre will make 200 IDDSI Level 1 drinks. 100 IDDSI Level 2 and 66 IDDSI Level 3.
Those with dysphagia, also like to go out. These sachets are for those occasions. Small and discreet, they can be used without attracting unwanted attention.
Pill-Eze is a Slõ Drink created to make pills easy to swallow. It can be used with medicinal pills, capsules and supplements. It’s a thickened liquid that holds them so they won’t get stuck and its sweet cherry flavour makes them taste nice. Easy to use – simply put a pill or capsule on a spoon and cover it with about 5mls of Pill-Eze, then swallow together and finish with water if necessary. Pill-Eze is suitable for all those with swallowing difficulties. If diagnosed with dysphagia it is suitable for those on IDDSI Levels 1, 2 and3 fluids as it matches the IDDSI 3 (Moderately thick) flow rate. It is virtually chemically inert and compares to the Ph level of the stomach (4.2pH) so can safely be used with a wide range of tablets and other solid dose forms. It has been subjected to over 100 scientific compatibility studies and as a result with the exceptions of: effervescent and crushed tablets; rapid dissolving, sustained release medication or those containing Iodine – you can use Pill-Eze with pills, tablets and (liquid containing) capsules, vitamin preparations, food supplements and other solid dosage forms meant to be swallowed. More information available at www.pill-eze.com |
Slõ Milkshakes+ and Slõ Syrup can be prescribed in the UK and ordered by Hospitals using the following PIP codes. They are listed on all patient systems and stocked by Alliance Healthcare for same day and next day delivery across the country. In the unlikely event either of these cannot be obtained, please call us on 03452 222 205 or on WhatsApp 07538 803 175.
|
Slõ Syrup liquid drinks thickener |
| IDDSI | Cold | Hot |
1 Litre | 1,2,3,4 | 425-9891 |
|
| 1,2,3 |
| 428-4493 |
200ml – Trial Bottle | 1,2,3,4 | 435-2266 |
|
| 1,2,3 |
| 435-2274 |
Sachets – Single Dose | Available as samples for clinicians and patients can buy at | ||
Ordering SamplesHealthcare Professionals Only Go to www.slodrinks.com and at the top of the page click the Clinicians Library Button. Now in the Library, click the Sample button and complete the encrypted on line form. To order samples for your Department email your address and the samples you need to samples@slodrinks.com We aim to send all sample orders received before 3pm out same day. Private Individuals Samples can be bought via our shop www.slodrinks.com/shop We know that some will not like to or have the ability to order on line. For them, you can print off and the Order Form overleaf and talk them through the instructions. |
Global HQ: 1 Rossington Place, Graphite Way, Glossop SK13 1 QG (UK)
HQ T: +44(0)03452 222 205
HQ E: support@slodrinks.com
All Social Media: Slõ Drinks
