Steps To Maintain Nutrition In Seniors With Alzheimer

Seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s often lose some weight as the disease progresses. Thus, nutrition care for seniors with Alzheimer’s is a must. The research conducted on this reveals that 40% of people suffering from Alzheimer’s tend to lose too much body weight. 

The family caregivers entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of seniors should have an understanding of this type of weight loss and how to work around these issues. 

Sometimes, vision changes among seniors make it difficult for seniors to distinguish food on the plate. Consequently, let us learn about weight loss among seniors and the steps to provide them with the right nutrition. 

Causes Of Weight Loss In Seniors 

One major reason for the sudden weight loss among seniors is manual dexterity which in turn can make seniors frustrated. Another cause of this is vision changes. Other reasons that might lead to weight loss among seniors include loss of appetite, improperly fitting dentures, and difficulty in swallowing. 

Steps To Provide Good Nutrition To Seniors With Alzheimer 

Let’s take a look at some of the ways stated below to provide good nutrition care for seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s. 

Dining room 

Creating a calm and organized dining environment can promote better eating habits in seniors. Keeping the dining area free of distractions and noise helps focus on the meal, and including soft background music that the senior enjoys can make the eating experience more pleasant.

Flavorful seasonings 

Alzheimer’s tends to affect the taste buds of the seniors. So the best way to provide good nutrition care for seniors is to add flavorful seasonings and herbs to stimulate their appetite. This would encourage the seniors to take their food timely instead of ignoring it. 

Use right crockery 

When serving food to seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s, consider using plates and placemats in contrasting colors. Using colorful plates and dishes makes it easy for seniors to distinguish food. 

Serve finger foods 

Another way to provide nutrition to seniors is to serve finger foods to seniors. Serving finger foods does not require utensils. Some examples of finger foods include nuggets, sandwich wraps, fruit smoothies, chicken quesadillas, and many more to go. 

Dental checkups 

Regular dental check-ups for seniors are essential. Undetected dental issues or ill-fitting dentures due to weight changes can cause chewing discomfort. A visit to the dentist can identify and address such problems.