Ensuring proper nourishment for elderly patients with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia is vital for their overall health, cognitive function, and quality of life. While doing so can be challenging, caregivers can implement various steps to help.
Nutrition Challenges for Patients with Alzheimer’s and Other Forms of Dementia
Lacking consistent and sufficiently nutritious intake is a common challenge among those suffering from various forms of dementia. Reasons for this include cognitive decline, appetite changes, difficulty with shopping and meal preparation, and social and emotional isolation, to name a few.
Memory care patients may forget to eat, lose interest in food, or struggle to recognize familiar foods. They may also exhibit behaviors such as refusal to eat, wandering during meals, or becoming agitated, which can make mealtimes stressful, unproductive, and anxiety-producing.
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can also lead to fluctuating appetite levels. Patients may eat minimally one day and overeat the next, complicating meal planning and portion control (Martyr et al., 2020). A lack of social engagement and other emotional and behavioral symptoms commonly associated with dementia, such as anxiety, can also contribute to inconsistent eating and the desire for meals.
On the emotional side, eating and mealtimes are often associated with social interaction. Patients with dementia may feel isolated, confused, or subject to feelings of sadness during mealtimes, which can affect their willingness and desire to eat. Memory care patients may also have difficulty chewing or swallowing and be subject to aspiration. This requires caregivers to modify food textures or find alternative sources of nutrition, such as nutrient- and calorie-dense therapeutic drinks. Be sure to adhere to medically appropriate ingredients and meal preparation needs as medical providers prescribe.
Tips for Home Care Caregivers
Considering these factors, private-duty caregivers, who often juggle multiple responsibilities, can struggle to ensure proper nourishment for their home care patients. However, these challenges can be overcome with the proper care and attention.
For caregivers, an important first step is knowing that ensuring proper nutrition for memory care patients is not just a task but a critical component of supporting their patients’ health and well-being as their condition progresses.
For example, while further research is required, some studies have concluded that “specific nutritional interventions may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and improve cognitive function and quality of life (Xu Lou, Effect of Nutrition in Alzheimer’s Patients, A Systematic Review, 2023). Data also suggests that a Western diet high in carbohydrates and processed foods can be a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Some research shows that Mediterranean and ketogenic diets, including supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics, may protect against Alzheimer’s disease and slow its progression. This effect is significant only in mild-to-moderate cases (Xu Lou, Effect of Nutrition in Alzheimer’s Patients, A Systematic Review, 2023). Studies have also shown that following a healthy dietary pattern, a high intake of plant-based foods, probiotics, nuts, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a low intake of saturated fats, animal-based proteins, and refined sugars can decrease the risk of neurocognitive impairment (Pistollato et al., 2018; Abduljawad et al., 2022).
Steps Caregivers Can Take
Developing a weekly meal plan can help significantly. Some tips for ensuring healthy eating include mapping out weekly meal needs and plans and developing an efficient shopping strategy that suits your schedule. If going to the grocery store to purchase fresh ingredients is not conducive to your schedule and caregiving demands, online purchasing and home delivery can be an effective and time-saving alternative.
In addition to regular meal preparation, consider devoting some time each week to preparing freezable, readily available meals. Or make a habit of preparing extra portions to freeze during regular meal preparation. This practice can help maximize limited caregivers’ time while helping to ensure regular, healthy meals. Statistics show that caregivers often neglect their health while caring for others, so be sure to develop meal plans and grocery needs for both the person you are caring for and yourself!
Here are Some Additional Practical Tips Caregivers Can Implement to Help Ensure Proper Nourishment for Memory Care Patients:
Establish a Routine: Creating a consistent meal schedule can help memory care patients anticipate mealtimes, which can reduce anxiety and confusion.
Simplify Meal Choices: Offer a limited selection of familiar foods to make decision-making easier. Presenting food choices in clear and easy-to-understand ways can help patients feel more comfortable, reduce anxiety, and establish a pleasant and enjoyable mealtime environment.
Focus on Nutrient-Dense Foods: Utilize foods rich in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. The Mediterranean and Blue Zones diets, known for their emphasis on these foods and their potential health benefits, offer easy cooking options and benefit dementia patients.
Modify Food Textures and Selections: Ensuring patients receive medically appropriate food intake and diets is critical. Consult with medical providers for food preparation and administration requirements to be met to suit the patient’s unique needs. Adapt food textures accordingly to accommodate any chewing or swallowing difficulties. Soft, easy-to-eat foods can help prevent choking and make mealtimes more enjoyable.
Create a Pleasant Eating Environment: Set the table nicely, minimize distractions, and create a calm atmosphere during meals to encourage a favorable dining experience.
Encourage Social Interaction: Whenever possible, involve family members or friends in mealtimes to create a social atmosphere that can stimulate appetite and enjoyment.
Use Visual Cues: Utilize colorful plates and utensils to make food visually appealing. This can help stimulate interest in eating.
Incorporate Finger Foods: Offer finger foods that are easy to handle and eat, allowing patients to maintain some independence during meals.
Monitor Hydration: Ensure that patients are drinking enough fluids throughout the day. Offer water, herbal teas, or other hydrating beverages regularly.
Be Patient and Attentive: Sit with patients during meals, offering encouragement and assistance as needed. Patience is key, as mealtimes may take longer than usual.
Involve Patients in Meal Preparation: If possible, engage patients in simple meal preparation tasks. This can help stimulate their interest in food and provide a sense of accomplishment.
Ensuring Proper Nutrition is Vital for Caregivers, Too
While caregiving is gratifying, it can also be emotionally and physically demanding, particularly for those caring for Alzheimer’s patients or those with other forms of dementia. As noted above, caregivers often neglect their health and well-being while managing the complexities of caring for others and often face negative health impacts as a result.
Whether you are a professional or family caregiver, remember that practicing self-care is crucial, and it is vital to ensure that you receive the nutrition you need regularly.
Be sure to also take advantage of Perfect Care Match’s Caregiver Resources, virtual workshops, holistic wellness, and coaching offerings to help support you—mind, body, and spirit—in your caregiving journey. You will have the most to give others by being healthy and at your best.
Visit our Holistic Health Hub at www.perfectcarematch.com/wellness-coaching/ to access our expert self-care resources and the company’s free online virtual workshops. Topics include improving family health through Holistic Wellness Practices, approaches to Self-Care, Improved Nutrition, and Stress/Anxiety Management.
References:
Pistollato, F., Calderon Iglesias, R., Ruiz, R., Aparicio, S., Crespo, J., Dzul Lopez, L., et al. (2018). Nutritional patterns associated with maintaining neurocognitive functions and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: a focus on human studies. Pharmacol. Res. 131, 32–43. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.03.012
Xu Lou, I. A. Inmaculada, Ali, Kamran, Chen, Qilan (2023). Effect of Nutrition in Alzheimer’s Patients, A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Neuroscience, Vol. 17. Pg1662-453X. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1147177
Heaton, J., Martyr, A., Nelis, S., Marková, I., Morris, R., Roth, I., Woods, R., & Clare, L. (2020). Future outlook of people living alone with early-stage dementia and their non-resident relatives and friends who support them. Ageing and Society. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x20000513
Healthy Eating – Forum Access. https://forumaccess.com/topic/healthy-eating/
Internal blog links:
Proper Nourishment for Seniors: A Critical Component For Health
Nourish Your Body! Easy Tips for Healthy Eating – Perfect Care Match | Home Care Agency
External links:
The role of nutrition in Alzheimer’s disease – PubMed
How to Live with Someone with Dementia. https://www.caregiverrelief.com/how-to-live-with-someone-with-dementia-navigating-challenges-and-exploring-solutions/
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1147177