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While we know that nutrition is a key component to brain health, mealtime can be challenging for people living with dementia and their caregivers. As dementia progresses, a person may find it challenging to do everyday tasks without the support of another person. Some of these tasks are directly tied to their ability to maintain adequate nutrition such as forgetting how to make a meal, using a specific utensil, or even neglecting to eat. If you are caring for someone that has dementia, there are a number of things that can be done to create a positive experience.
Introducing Posada Life Memory Café!
A welcoming place for those experiencing memory loss and their care givers. Be part of our community, we invite you to come socialize with others in a safe, supportive, and fun environment. March will be all things music – live music, games, and musical trivia! Date/time: Saturday March 19, 2022, 1:00pm-2:00pm Location: Posada Life Community Center For the safety of all, attendees will be required to wear masks and observe physical distancing. RSVPs are encouraged, please contact Ellen March at 520.393.6840 or EMarch@casagv.org 780 S. Park Centre Ave. Green Valley, AZ 85614
• Distractions can present a challenge – minimize unnecessary interruptions, limit talking, use adaptive dinnerware that can be easily focused and limit the number of items on the table • Patience is key – allow plenty of time to eat, be flexible with food choices as they may change and don’t focus on neatness, offer multiple small meals as opposed to a few large ones, use gentle verbal cues • Spend time together – use affirmative and reassuring language, eat together and model positive behavior and nutrition choices • Simplify things – offer one food at a time, try small finger foods if using utensils is a challenge • Safety is key – check the temperature of the food as sensitivity to temperatures may increase, if chewing or swallowing is challenging, prepare meals that are easy to chew and swallow, use plastic or non-glass dinnerware if dexterity has been compromised • Balance is important – as cognitive decline progresses it can be challenging to get correct nutrition, provide a balanced diet with a variety of foods your loved one enjoys. In addition to the tips above, adaptive dinnerware can be helpful, and a number of adaptive items are in use and on
display in the PCOA Raskob-Paulus Caregiver Skills Lab. Please contact an Options Counselor if you are interested in learning more about this.
Memory concerns? Call the PCOA Helpline at 520.790.7262 or visit our website to complete a referral form online https://pcoa.org/dementiareferral/ Change, especially as it relates to cognitive decline, is difficult and it can be a challenge not to expect a person to behave or respond in a way they may have previously. Mealtime can highlight some of these changes, especially from the caregiver's viewpoint. It is important that mealtimes remain a positive experience, especially as cognitive decline increases and maintaining nutrition can present more of a challenge. This can be an opportunity to create new mealtime traditions and practices as a family, ensuring everyone's needs are met.
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Pima Council on Aging
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