A good, well-balanced diet is vital for your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, but as the disease progresses, mealtimes can bring new challenges. Alzheimer’s care often involves managing issues like eating, as the parts of the brain responsible for these functions become damaged. Over time, your loved one may face difficulties not only getting food to their mouth but also chewing and swallowing it safely.
What Increases the Risk of Choking for Alzheimer’s Patients?
As the brain deteriorates, many late-stage Alzheimer’s patients develop challenges with chewing and swallowing, which are crucial areas of focus in Alzheimer’s care. They may struggle to recognize the type of food they are eating and how to chew it properly.
For example, your loved one may not realize that a tough piece of meat requires more chewing compared to a softer food like mashed potatoes, leading to attempts to swallow before properly chewing.
Additionally, some Alzheimer’s patients may have trouble pushing food to the back of the mouth for swallowing. The brain may no longer effectively guide the body through these once-automatic processes, making attentive Alzheimer’s care during meals essential.
Symptoms that Your Loved One Might be Having Trouble Swallowing
Some symptoms that might indicate your loved one is struggling with eating and swallowing include:
- Coughing when eating
- Food falling out of the mouth when eating
- Food getting stored or stuck in the cheeks
- Drooling while eating
- Difficulty chewing
- Taking too long to process food in the mouth
- Over-chewing or under-chewing food
Reducing Troubles with Swallowing
A choking situation is a scary situation. Here are some Alzheimer’s care techniques to consider when preparing meals and serving your elderly loved one.
- Serve foods that are easy to chew. This can include cutting food into very small pieces, especially items that require a bit of chewing to swallow safely. It might also include altering her diet by providing items that are softer to eat such as mashed potatoes instead of potato chips, or cooked vegetables instead of raw vegetables.
- Keep her focused on eating. You might need to turn off the television or redirect her focus on chewing as she eats if she seems to get distracted.
- Encourage drinking between bites. A small sip of water can help her swallow what she previously put in her mouth before placing another bite in her mouth. The liquid may also help to soften up any food she’s struggling to chew well.
- Carefully watch your loved one while she eats. Don’t get distracted during meals. By watching your loved one eat, you’ll be able to quickly see if something is giving her an issue when eating.
Eating Safely with An Alzheimer’s Care Provider
If you are nervous about your loved one choking while eating, it can make mealtimes extremely stressful and nerve-wracking. Because meals should be a time for connection and positive interactions, you might find you need a bit of assistance during meals to help you keep your loved one safe while still enjoying the time together.
An Alzheimer’s care provider can be that extra set of eyes that will give you the assurance you need to manage meals again. With a trained Alzheimer’s care provider, you’ll have a professional on your team that understands your loved one’s disease and the effects it can have not only on her ability to eat and swallow but also on the changes it may make to her overall behavior. They understand and care for your loved one with Alzheimer’s and provide empathetic care that honors your loved one.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Care in Cary, NC, please contact the caring staff at Affordable Family Care.
Serving Raleigh, Greensboro, and the surrounding areas in North Carolina. Call today at (919) 676-1070
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