Darian Dalsen, External Care Coordinator for Comfort Keepers In-Home Senior Care of Madison, WI shares important tips for helping seniors who are experiencing dementia maintain good nutrition.
"Hi, my name is Darian. I'm the External Care Coordinator at Comfort Keepers and today I'd like to talk to you about nutrition and dementia.
Many times people that have dementia are having a harder time eating and are just unable to eat on a regular schedule. What I'd like to do today is offer you some tips on how to help someone that has dementia be able to eat on a regular basis.
First thing is if somebody will come up to you and say they're not hungry, what I'd like you to be able to do is go into the kitchen and be able to just start making some food and within 10-15 minutes of making the food, that person will most likely be able to come up back up to you and say that they're hungry and want something to eat.
Next suggestion would be to be able to just offer finger foods and to be able to have them put out regularly throughout the day and just be able to have something easy for that person to be able to pick up and have on the go.
Have plenty of fluids available and set up throughout the house during the day and then also be able to have just a regular eating habit, eating time. So many times people won't eat at a meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) but they'll have snacks regularly throughout the day. Encourage that, encourage a variety of foods and encourage just plain and simple eating."
