The Menu
You can help situational awareness by serving ‘breakfast foods’ at breakfast, ‘lunch foods’ at lunch, and ‘dinner food’ at dinner. This can help the patient remain oriented as to time, since scrambled eggs at dinner might be confusing.–Contributed by an R.N. with much experience as a caregiver
Cutting Up Food
No one likes to be treated like a baby, and the AD patient’s dignity must be protected at all times to avoid worsening depression. Still, coordinated use of knife and fork is one of the first things to go. So, what to do? IF you need to cut up the AD patient’s food, CUT YOURS UP TOO! Starting on an equal footing will help keep the patient from thinking he/she is being singled-out.–from Coping With Alzheimer’s
Moisture
Moist foods are more easily ingested and digested. Use sauces and gravies to help moisten foods.–Ed
Oversized Utensils
You can help the patient continue to feed him/herself by getting the utensils with oversized handles. These are available at many medical equipment/supplies companies and are well worth the expense. The larger handle and tactile surface make them easier to grip.–Coping With Alzheimer’s