(Tips from Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room)
As Alzheimer's or dementia progresses getting
a patient to eat a nutritious meal, or to eat enough, can become a problem.
There is a long list of potential problems
that cause dementia patients to eat less. There are also many ways that can be
tried to deal with or eliminate the problem.
The most important factor in this wide spread
problem is in fact, the color of the plate.
Last week I spoke at an Alzheimer's Conference
in New York. I was asked several times,
"How can I get my mother
to eat more food? Or, she just won't eat what can I do?".
When I started
answering at the conference, the entire audience of over 200 people seemed
shocked and surprised at my number one suggestion below.
This told me that we
need to work harder on getting families into support groups and discussing the
most common problems we face in the Alzheimer's dementia community.
As
Alzheimer's or dementia progresses, getting a patient to eat a nutritious meal,
or to eat enough, can become a problem.
This
can cause the Alzheimer's caregiver to become frustrated, confused, and even
angry. It can also bring on feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
1. The First Question I Always Ask is - What Color are Your Plates?
In a study
conducted at Boston University, Researchers found that patients eating from RED PLATES consumed 25 percent
more food than those eating from white plates. Solid red plates, no pattern embedded.
Before you go, let me
ask you this simple question? Are you
sure an Alzheimer's patient can see the food on the plate? Meaning, see it is a way that you and I do,
and then eat it.
Many caregivers
understand that as dementia progresses vision and spatial problems can affect
the ability of Alzheimer's patients to do things. For example, my mother would
often stop walking when she reached an area of white tile in our home. It was
almost like there was an in
visible fence. I often wondered why. Interesting when she was going in the
other direction - from white tile to blue carpet she never stopped.
Are you
using white plates when you feed your loved one? If so, consider RED PLATES.
Interestingly, one
day while I was watching the Dr. OZ
television show a Nutritionist he had on the show said -- "don't eat
off red plates because you will eat more".
2. Make eye contact
while eating.
Sit directly in
front of your loved one living with dementia and make eye contact while eating.
Smile and wait for them to smile back at you.
Then start eating
without talking (you start
eating). Keep quiet.
Be
patient,
very very patient, keep making eye contact, and wait for them to follow your
lead.
Be
patient
are the key words here. You might have to do this for a while before it starts
working. Remember, you are trying to
break a bad pattern and replace with a good pattern.
3. Did I Say Keep
Your Mouth Shut?
Trying
to convince
a person living with Alzheimer's, if they are at the point of not eating, that
they must eat is
counterproductive to your effort.
Trying
to explain
why they need to eat is counterproductive.
The
proper mind set here is learning to be a guide. A good guide makes eye contact and smiles.
A good
guide demonstrates
how to eat each and every time (like it is the first time, every time). The
good guide does this with a smile on their face.
One thing you will need to consider is if the
person living with dementia is unable to eat - they might find it difficult,
painful, or impossible to swallow. You should discuss
this issue with a qualified specialist.
Specialist means a person or doctor that actually deals with this problem - all
the time.
Hopefully,
by guiding rather than cajoling you might get a patient to eat just enough.
(Source:
Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer’s Reading Room)
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