[Dysphagia] Dementia Patient Feeding

[NBurnett at cmh.org (Nancy Burnett)]

Absolutely a great strategy. I usually suggest that the client "just clean
off the spoon before we go on" to make it a little more natural.

Nancy Burnett,
Speech-Language Pathologist,
Cambridge Memorial Hospital,
700 Coronation Blvd.,
Cambridge, Ontario.
N1R 3G2
Telephone: 519 - 621 -  2330 ext 1126/Pager 1104
Fax: 519 - 740 - 4978  Attention Nancy Burnett 3BN
Email: nburnett@cmh.org


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	dysphagia-bounces@b9.com [SMTP:dysphagia-bounces@b9.com] On Behalf
> Of pressmah@sjhmc.org
> Sent:	December 6, 2005 10:04 AM
> To:	neurosp@aol.com; maddoglynz@aol.com; dysphagia@b9.com
> Subject:	RE: [Dysphagia] Dementia Patient Feeding
> 
> Presenting the next spoon is a very good idea.  With the Developmentally
> Disabled we often find individuals who only swallow when the next spoon is
> presented.  If we want a dry swallow we present a spoon that is
> essentially
> empty  Hilda Pressman
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: neurosp@aol.com [mailto:neurosp@aol.com]
> Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 2:56 PM
> To: Pressman, Hilda; maddoglynz@aol.com; dysphagia@b9.com
> Subject: Re: [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&n bsp;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%40aol.com>  [
> mailto:maddoglynz@aol.com <mailto:maddoglynz%40aol.com> ]
> 
> Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 9:46 AM
> 
> To:  dysphagia@b9.com <mailto:dysphagia%40b9.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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