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[Dysphagia] Dementia Patient Feeding
If the patient responds to the visual stimulus of food about to enter her oral cavity, try the following: Make sure the person is looking at the food which is about to be given to her (on a spoon,etc.), make sure you call her attention to "what is coming", be sure she is looking at the food while you give her the verbal cue to "look here", etc., hoping that the anticipatory phase of swallowing is striggered. For some people, the natural reaction would be that she would swallow what is in her mouth in "anticipation" that more food is being presented, and automatically open her mouth to accetpt more. It works for many of my dementia patients, but not all. Give it a try. Also, be sure that temperature and tastes are clearly differentiated by the patient. Try cooling the oral cavity via oral hydration (swabbing with cold water) before food presentation. If giving a cool drink, be sure it is cold. If sweetening cereal, use a little extra sweetener ( if diabetic use artificial sweetenter )....all of which is inteneded to heighten sensory awareness. Let me know if it works for you.
John
-----Original Message-----
From: pressmah@sjhmc.org
To: maddoglynz@aol.com; dysphagia@b9.com
Sent: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 13:34:01 -0500
Subject: RE: [Dysphagia] Dementia Patient Feeding
This type and level of difficulty is consistent with end stage dysphagia.
In addition to the things that you are trying I would suggest, with straw
drinking, that the feeder remove the straw from the person's mouth after
they sip. I have found that patients often cannot coordinate sucking and
swallowing and will only swallow once the straw is withdrawn. Hilda
Pressman
-----Original Message-----
From: maddoglynz@aol.com [mailto:maddoglynz@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 9:46 AM
To: dysphagia@b9.com
Subject: [Dysphagia] Dementia Patient Feeding
Any advice on how to feed a low-functioning dementia patient who is holding
food and liquid in her mouth for a very long time, to the point of choking?
I don't believe the holding is intentional. I believe she is having
difficulty triggering the swallow. We have tried alternating hot food items
with ice cream and other cold food items in an attempt to increase
sensation. The holding is intermittent, in other words, she does fairly
well with some meals and with other meals she holds almost constantly. The
patient is nonverbal and cannot follow directions. Thanks for any advice.
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