[Dysphagia] Dementia Patient Feeding

[Naomi.Cocks.1 at city.ac.uk (Cocks, Naomi)]

I have also found the empty spoon method to be effective with this
population.  If mouthful is not swallowed, simply placing an empty spoon
into the mouth, sometimes is an effective method for initiating a
swallow.

Naomi Cocks
-----Original Message-----
From: dysphagia-bounces@b9.com [mailto:dysphagia-bounces@b9.com] On
Behalf Of pressmah@sjhmc.org
Sent: 06 December 2005 15:04
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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