Dysphagia In Elderly Patients

Changes due to the aging process also need to be addressed. Calcium reabsorption increases especially in women after the menopause, this decreases bone density. Lean tissue decreases as fat increases with age; there is also a decline in the percentage of body water meaning that body temperature is more difficult to control. Thirst decline and decreased renal function means that older people can become dehydrated (Copeman 1999). The function of the bowel reduces, meaning that the elderly are more susceptible to indigestion and constipation. The risk of constipation is also increased with Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s UK 2011). The final consideration is the deterioration of the sensory system. Taste, smell, vison, pain and touch all decline meaning that food may not be as appealing (Copeman 1999).

An example of how other health and emotional conditions could affect the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia is depression, as this could lead to a loss of appetite and also a lack of interest in food and drinks. For example, Mrs B has been depressed for quite sometime due to the death of her husband. She would prefer to be on her own most of the time. As a result of her lack of socialisation she became socially isolated. This affected her nutritional needs, as she didn’t feel like eating. It took a long time until she agreed to go to the dining room at meal times. Once dinner was served she would lose interest in eating and tended to return to the lounge without touching the meal. I consistently done my best to try and encourage her

Unit 9 Assignment Miss E is 81 years old women and lives in public housing. Miss E prepares and eats all her meal alone. Miss E always enjoyed mealtime but now she has trouble with her food sticking in her throat. Miss E’s cook everything until it is very soft for her to eat.

Communication- A person with demnetia has a problem with identifying that their are hungry or do not like the food that they have been give. They may refuse to eat or hold the food in their mouth. By given a person with dementia choice of what their would like to eat, use prompts or pictures could help.

‘Meal patterns’ are about the way a person takes their food made. Some people prefer to have three meals a day. However, there are many different variations. Some families eat together, but in the busy world that we live in people are eating fast food, and microwave meals.

John is 76 years old and lives at home with his wife Brenda who is 78 years old. He suffers from dementia which had a significant impact on communication and assessment. I was involved in John’s care during my time on a urology ward. John came to the ward due to urinary retention and was there for a period of 2 weeks. He needed to be prompted and guided on personal care, toileting and nutrition. It was also important to promote John’s independence,

The use of language is important, when talking to residents you need to keep things simpler than if you were talking to residents without dementia, however if you’re talking to an adult using very simple instructions this may seem patronising, it is important to choose your language carefully.

There is a need to identify the level and type of support an individual requires when eating and drinking. Any support while eating or drinking is to be provided respecting the service user’s human dignity, while the carer is exhibiting warmth and a calm attitude. The care plan informs whether the service user is able to feed him/herself, or needs assistance. Many service users will feed themselves when starting their meal, but will get tired and will then require assistance. The hands of service users with Parkinson’s may have to be gently directed so that they manage eating independently. The carer may need to cut the food for the service user. Service users with chewing difficulties, or swallowing precautions, or a history of choking need to be supervised while eating. Of course, these service users will also get a soft diet. Service users living with dementia may reject food which to them resembles to gruesome things (e.g., they may think meat bits in a dark sauce are cocroaches), therefore person-centered support is important. Service users with learning disabilities may find it hard to estimate distances, so the carer will make sure plates and glasses are well within their reach.

Rationale: Make meal times happy and pleasant. Encourage the patient to eat their whole meal. If they are not eating, offer them another choice of food. Report and record all food and fluid intake. (Nursing Assistant Education, 2014

Dementia is a very common disorder that is more common in the older population. For people aged 60-69 the dementia rate is 1in 100, but in people over 80 the rate is 1in 6(A.Smith, 2011). Dementia is a terminal illness and the prognosis is grim, suffers are only expected to live 3 to 5 years after diagnosis (A.Smith, 2011). Dementia is divided into three stages early, middle and late. People can be in the late stage for many years. During the late stage the dementia patient suffers from a lot of different issues including but not limited to dysphagia, self-feeding, and eating problems. Nearly 50 percent of patients with dementia lose their ability to self-feed within 8 years after the onset of the disease (S.A. Thomas 2014).We know that malnutrition is a serious problem when it comes to dementia

I had the opportunity to observe a Modified Barium Swallow Study at Arkansas Children’s Hospital this semester. It was informative, interesting, and sparked left me researching unfamiliar terms as I left the study. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this observation experience and I feel as though it is one of the most, if not the most, beneficial hands on experiences I have had thus far. The differences between pediatrics and geriatrics have been discussed, taught, and even viewed through video in class, but there is nothing quite like seeing all of those differences in person.

Help your loved one identify which foods and drinks they should avoid. They can help identify which foods triggering the dysphagia, and which type of foods your loved one doesn't have the muscular strength to handle at the

Background: Chronic cough (CC) is not uncommon condition that impacts on patient’s quality of life, physical and psychosocial status. There are various causes of CC i.e., tobacco smoking, air pollution exposure, chronic pulmonary infection, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, postnasal drip syndrome and rhinosinusitis. Interestingly, the recent publication demonstrated that weak peristalsis with large breaks (WPLBs) which is one of the esophageal dysmotility was remarkably found in patients with

the comfort eating and this be addressed rather than the comfort eating itself. A supportive

In addition, through this experience, I understand the benefit of texture modification in food and fluid can make the elderly people and patients with dysphagia consume easily and meet their adequate nutrition, so nutrition profile of texture modified food is very important to be concerned when modifying the standard dishes into the texture modified foods. Therefore, effective communication and collaboration between chefs and dietitian are essential to modify the recipe to ensure the texture modified food provide adequate energy and nutrient for patient, in particular to patient with