Best educational resources for feeding tube patients and caregivers
An honest, curated list of the best free resources for learning about tube feeding — trusted nonprofits, clinical bodies, peer communities, and tools — for patients and the families who care for them.
Reviewed by the Lugano Health team
The most trusted feeding-tube resources include the Oley Foundation and the Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation (patient and caregiver support), ASPEN (clinical guidance and patient materials), your device and formula manufacturers' instructions, and your own care team — who should always be your first call. Lugano Health complements these with clear, personalized guidance for your specific tube.
- Your own care team is always the first and best resource for decisions about your tube.
- The Oley Foundation and Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation offer free, human, peer-based support.
- ASPEN provides clinically grounded guidance and patient materials.
- Manufacturer instructions (IFUs) are the source of truth for your exact tube and pump.
When you're new to tube feeding, the internet can feel like either a firehose or a desert — too much conflicting advice, or nothing that speaks plainly to your situation. This is our honest short list of resources worth your time, and what each is genuinely best for.
One rule first: your own care team always comes first for anything specific to you. Everything below supports that relationship — it doesn't replace it.
1. Your care team
Your dietitian, nurse, GI specialist, or surgeon knows your anatomy, your tube, and your history. For any decision — a flush amount, a new symptom, a medication question — they are the reliable source. Keep their number handy and use it without hesitation.
2. The Oley Foundation
A respected nonprofit dedicated to people on home tube and IV feeding. Best for free education and genuine peer support — connecting with others who live this every day. The emotional side of tube feeding matters, and Oley is one of the warmest places to find your people.
3. Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation
Especially strong for caregivers and families, with practical, plain-language guides that meet you where you are. If you're a parent or a partner suddenly responsible for someone's tube, this is a gentle, useful place to start.
4. ASPEN
The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition is the clinical body behind much of the professional guidance in this field. Best for evidence-grounded information and patient materials when you want to understand the "why" behind a recommendation.
5. Your device and formula manufacturers
The instructions for use (IFU) for your exact tube, connector, and pump are the source of truth for your specific equipment — flush volumes, cleaning, compatibility, and replacement schedules. Keep the paperwork (or the manufacturer's web page) somewhere easy to find.
6. Lugano Health
We built Lugano to fill a specific gap: plain-language guides plus personalized answers for your specific tube and situation — the resource we wished every family had on day one. Explore the guides, or ask a question and get a clear answer tailored to you. We're a complement to your care team, never a replacement.
How to use these together
- A decision about your body or tube? → Your care team.
- Want to feel less alone? → Oley or Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation.
- Want the evidence behind advice? → ASPEN.
- A question about your exact equipment? → The manufacturer's instructions.
- Want a clear, personalized explanation, fast? → Lugano.
Bookmark two or three of these today. Having trusted places to turn takes a real weight off, especially in the early weeks.
Frequently asked questions
- Home nutrition support education and community — The Oley Foundation
- Caregiver and patient education — Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation
- Clinical guidelines and patient resources — American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN)
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Every person and every tube is different — always follow the instructions of your own care team, and call them (or emergency services) if something feels wrong.
