Regular, nutritious meals can be a challenge for people with dementia.
To help the person in late-stage Alzheimer's stay nourished, try these tips from the Alzheimer's Association: Allow plenty of time for eating. Make sure the person is in a comfortable, upright position. To aid digestion, keep the person upright for 30 minutes after eating. Adapt foods if swallowing is a problem. Choose soft foods that can be chewed and swallowed easily. Make liquids thicker by adding cornstarch, unflavored gelatin or food thickeners (available at pharmacy and health care supply stores) to water, juice, milk, broth and soup. Learn the Heimlich maneuver in case of an emergency. Encourage self-feeding. Sometimes a person needs cues to get started. Begin by putting food on a spoon, gently putting his or her hand on the spoon, and guiding it to the person's mouth. Serve finger foods if the person has difficulty using utensils. Assist the person with feeding, if needed. Alternate small bites with fluids. You may need to remind the person to chew or swallow. Make sure all food and fluid is swallowed before continuing on with the next bite. Adding sugar to food and serving favorite foods may encourage eating; the doctor may even suggest supplements between meals to add calories if weight loss is a problem. Remember fluids. Because the sense of thirst diminishes in the late stages of Alzheimer's, the person may not realize that he or she is thirsty. Encourage the person to drink liquids or to eat foods with high liquid content, such as watermelon, peaches, pears or sherbet. Monitor weight loss -- but remember, as a person becomes less active, he or she will require less food. Read more: www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-food-eating.asp