Alzheimer's & Eating.

(picture from Sams Club site) In reading our copy of 'Healthy Living Made Simple' from Sams Club, the September/October 2013 edition, I found they offer some advice about meals.

While I have not found this magazine online yet to refer to, I thought I would share an article in it titled "Alzheimer's and eating: a unique burden", by Michele Mongillo, RN. All of us have heard how this disease changes people - their behavior, memory, thinking. It affects daily life. Nutrition can be an issue; we have all heard that certain foods MAY slow it down, there is no fix. But the article states, that it is best if the elderly person can eat a well-balanced diet - to stay strong and maintain a healthy weight. Of course, there is always the fact that your family member may not remember if they ate - been there!!

The article says that if you are the one planning the meal, try to offer a wide selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Cut the food into bite sized pieces -- makes it easy to pick up with a utensil or fingers. Plus it makes the food easy to chew and swallow. Allow foods with high water content (since they may not drink enough) like soups, fruit, & smoothies. If the person has visual issues, there may be problems distinguishing food on their plate -- limit the amount and types of food being served. Even if it is a favorite, they may not recognize it. Here too, it may be helpful to avoid dishes, tablecloths, napkins that have a busy design.

If you are going out, places with a lot of noise might be too distracting, so choose one with a quieter atmosphere. If at home, eat meals without the radio or TV.

Some of this may be trial and error. From personal experience now -- if there are any other medical issues, you may want to talk to your doctor or dietitian. Mom had to have low-sodium foods, she had a heart condition and high blood pressure. I had to watch her potassium intake (among other things) with her being on dialysis. We had to change from her favorite drink, Ensure, to Nepro (which she did not like as much but we found ways to doctor it up). Several talks with the dietitian at the dialysis center, and many handouts later, we were able to shop for foods and herbs to make things taste better.

I did find a similar post on the Alzheimer's Association website. Read here.