3. I’m having trouble getting my loved one to eat. What can I do?
Good nutrition is important for people with
Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, poor nutrition can worsen some symptoms of
dementia. Loss of appetite is common in Alzheimer’s disease; loss of appetite
can also occur with commonly used treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. To get
your loved one to eat, try some of the following:
General guidelines:
- Talk to your loved one’s doctor. Sometimes, poor appetite is due to
depression, or other treatable problems.
- Don’t force feed. Try to encourage the person to eat, and try to find
out why they don’t want to eat.
- Avoid serving non-nutritious beverages such as black coffee and tea.
- Try to get your loved one to eat more protein and fat and less simple sugars.
- Offer small, frequent meals and snacks.
- Encourage your loved one to walk or participate in other types of light
activity to stimulate appetite.
- Consider serving finger foods that are easy for the person to handle and eat.
- Remember to treat the person as an adult, not a child. Don’t punish the person for not eating.
Meal guidelines:
- Serve foods your loved one likes to eat.
- Serve beverages after a meal instead of before or during a meal so your
loved one doesn’t feel full before beginning to eat.
- Plan meals to include your loved one’s favorite foods.
- Try getting your loved one to eat the high-calorie foods in the meal first.
- Use your imagination to increase the variety of food you're serving.
Prepare meals that offer a variety of textures, colors and temperatures.
Snack guidelines:
- Don't serve foods that provide little or no nutritional value, such as
potato chips, candy bars, colas, and other snack foods.
- Choose high-protein and high-calorie snacks.
- Fruits are good snacks.
Dining guidelines:
- Make food preparation an easy task: choose foods that are easy to
prepare and eat.
- Make eating a pleasurable experience, not a chore; for example, liven up
your meals by using colorful place settings and/or play background music
during meals.
- Try not to let your loved one eat alone. If you are unable to eat with
your loved one, invite a guest to share their meal.
- Use colorful garnishes such as parsley and red or yellow peppers to make
food look more appealing.
4. My mother has Alzheimer’s disease, and I’ve noticed
she is getting more confused. How can I help her?
There are several things you can try to help a person who is confused: