Tips To Overcome Mealtime Struggles For Older Adults With Alzheimer’s

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease presents many challenges for caregivers, mealtime challenges being one of them. The way out is proper identification of your family member’s struggles and devising strategies to work around them. Loss of appetite in individuals with Alzheimer’s can be attributed to Alzheimer’s disease-related issues like cognitive impairment, coordination problems, decline in sensory perception, etc.

Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix, AZ understands the value of good nutrition and we strive to help older adults by fulfilling all their nutritional requirements so that they are in good shape at all times. Anthem Senior Living is an award-winning assisted living Anthem facility in the region. Experienced and professional caregivers offer round-the-clock care and support to senior residents.

Common mealtime challenges for people with Alzheimer’s or a related form of dementia:

Loss Of Appetite– Medicines may lead to loss of appetite. However, your loved one may no longer recognize their body’s hunger triggers. A loss of smell or taste further adds to these problems. Loss of interest in food at mealtime is another factor. What can help in overcoming this problem is by looking for ways that could stimulate their appetite.

Problems With Oral Health– Weight loss is very common for someone with Alzheimer’s. Excessive weight loss may lead to a problem with their dentures fitting properly. Gum disease is another oral health issue. You can overcome this issue by identifying and correcting the underlying oral health issue.

Coordination Issues– It’s a given for most adults with Alzheimer’s to eventually experience problems with hand-eye coordination, which can make mealtime difficult for them (both physically and emotionally).

Lack Of Attention– Just sitting down and focusing on eating becomes a huge struggle, which can aggravate if the older adult is also experiencing agitation or anxiety. What you can do is create a calm and distraction-free environment.

Ways to make mealtimes easier for Alzheimer’s-afflicted people:

1. Like we have already mentioned, create a distraction-free zone by turning off television, radio, and other such distractions. Set a simple table and half your work will be done.
2. Individuals with Alzheimer’s may struggle with differentiating items on the table because of his/her visual and spatial abilities being affected. Arrange the food in such a way that it stands out from the plate, which you can do by using plates with solid, contrasting linens. Researchers suggest using a red plate to boost food intake of an Alzheimer’s patient.
3. Offer only one or two foods at a time. It is also advisable to check food and beverage temperatures before serving to avoid burns or other-related accidents.
4. It goes without saying that offering something appetizing is the best way to get anyone especially someone with Alzheimer’s to eat.
5. Do not rush through a meal, particularly Alzheimer’s-afflicted people who may simply need more time to eat, so give them the required time so that he/she can chew and swallow slowly.
6. Try and eat together which will improve the experience for you both (you and your loved one).
7. Provide nutrient-dense snack opportunities throughout the day so that nutritional needs of your loved one are met as it may not always be possible to sit them down for a meal.

Allow them independence, allow them to perform tasks that they otherwise do for themselves which can nurture a sense of control and dignity. This also applies to eating.