Dementia affects much more than memory. It can also influence how a person experiences food and drink. Changes in memory, coordination and perception can make mealtimes more challenging, often leading to reduced appetite, weight loss, dehydration or even overeating if meals are forgotten.
At Patricia White’s, our experienced carers provide compassionate support around mealtimes, from preparing nutritious dishes to offering patient reminders and companionship. In this guide, we explore how dementia can affect eating and drinking, and how our dedicated home care can help manage these changes with understanding and care.
How Does Dementia Affect Eating and Drinking Habits?
Everyone responds to dementia differently, so it’s difficult to accurately determine how the condition is going to impact your loved one.
Depending on the stage of their condition, a person with dementia might:
- Forget to eat or drink
- Find certain textures, smells or colours of food off-putting
- Not realise they’re hungry or full
- Struggle to follow particular diets, such as for diabetes
- Have trouble preparing food or drink
- Struggle to handle cutlery and feed themselves
- Struggle to recognise food, drinks and snacks
- Find it difficult to chew and swallow
- Have a change in appetite or taste
- Develop a sweet tooth
Potential Problems with Eating and Drinking in Dementia
People with dementia may experience difficulties with eating and drinking due to their specific symptoms.
Below are some of the most common issues your loved one may face in terms of eating with dementia:
- Memory loss: Thinking and memory problems can make eating and drinking more difficult, especially if a person doesn’t recognise the meals in front of them.
- Problems with chewing and swallowing: As dementia progresses, chewing and swallowing issues often become more apparent, which can lead to weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration.
- Coordination difficulties: A common symptom of dementia is dexterity loss, and this may make it more difficult to pick up or grip items, including cutlery or glass, to bring them to their mouths.
- Vision impairment: If your loved one has trouble with their eyesight, they may not be able to see the food or drink in front of them.
- Loss of taste and smell: These senses often get weaker as we age, leading to food tasting unpleasant and a reduced appetite.
- Judgement and reasoning: People with dementia may not be able to accurately judge the temperature of food and drink, increasing the risk of burns and making eating uncomfortable.
How to Encourage Good Eating and Drinking Habits
Helping a loved one with dementia maintain a healthy diet isn’t the easiest task, but it’s important to encourage them to eat and drink well. Eating well is a main component in living well with dementia, so try different diets, meals and tips to find what works best for your loved one.
Encouraging Your Loved One to Eat Well
Tips to help someone with dementia eat a balanced and healthy diet include:
- Plan meals with your loved one: Ask your loved one what they want to eat and encourage them to help you make it, as this might make them more excited to eat.
- Offer a variety of foods: Experiment with different tastes, smells and colours to stimulate appetite and find your loved one’s new favourite foods.
- Opt for small, frequent meals: Some older adults find it easier to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day rather than three big meals.
- Remove distractions: Swap the TV for soothing, familiar music so your loved one doesn’t get distracted from their food.
- Provide plenty of time to eat: Plan mealtimes to ensure your loved one is happy, rested and content and give them plenty of time to eat without feeling rushed.
- Share mealtimes: Eating with your loved one can encourage them to sit at the table for longer and eat more.
- Use bright, plain plates: People with dementia often prefer plain plates over those with patterns, as they can see the food more easily against a quiet background.
- Offer finger foods or adapted cutlery: If dexterity is an issue, consider using adapted cutlery or offering finger foods, such as sandwiches, fresh fruit and vegetables.
Encouraging Your Loved One to Eat Well
People with dementia might not always recognise when they’re thirsty, or be able to communicate this need.
To encourage drinking enough, consider these tips:
- Always have fresh water nearby: Keep a jug or pitcher of water near your loved one’s favourite chair or bedside so they can reach it easily.
- Buy an insulated bottle: An insulated bottle is a great way to keep drinks hot or cold for longer, allowing your loved one to continue drinking throughout the day without needing to remake them.
- Offer squash, juice, and hot drinks: If your loved one dislikes water, consider alternatives such as squash, juice, herbal teas or fresh fruit.
- Help them hold the cup: You may need to assist your loved one in holding their cup, especially when it’s full or still hot.
- Try different-shaped cups: Some people with dementia prefer a specific type of cup or mug, so experiment with various options to determine what works best in encouraging them to drink.
Weight Changes with Dementia
Changes in eating habits can lead to weight loss or gain. Both can lead to more severe complications, including malnutrition or obesity.
Weight changes may also be a result of an underlying medical issue, such as:
- Depression
- Mouth pain or dental problems
- Infections or other physical illnesses
- Difficulty swallowing
- Constipation
If you notice that your loved one’s eating habits have changed and your efforts to improve them aren’t working, consider consulting their GP. They can refer you to a dietitian or prescribe high-nutrient, high-calorie meal supplement drinks.
You don’t want to overcorrect overeating behaviours and result in your loved one eating too little.
To prevent this, there are several minor adjustments you can make to manage the issue, including:
- Add sweet condiments to meals to satisfy sweet cravings, like ketchup
- Serve food in portions rather than bringing out the entire dish
- Replace high-calorie sweet foods with low-calorie alternatives, like fruit or jelly
- Encourage activity, such as walking, swimming or seated exercises
- Store food out of sight to avoid temptation
How Patricia White’s Home Care Can Help
Realising your loved one is finding it more difficult to eat and drink can be concerning and upsetting to family members. At Patricia White’s, we understand the impact of dementia and its symptoms. Our fully trained, compassionate carers can help with implementing new strategies into daily life to make eating and drinking less of a challenge.
We’ll carefully match your loved one with a carer experienced in dementia care, along with any other conditions or requirements they may have. They can help plan, prepare and cook meals, go shopping with your loved one for ingredients, and monitor how much they eat and drink to avoid dangerous consequences. Patricia White’s provides bespoke care while upholding independence and dignity every step of the way.
Talk to Our Dedicated Team of Experts Today
The standards set by Patricia White 30 years ago still apply today. Call our experienced team today on 01293 224712 to discuss your home care needs and receive a free, no-obligation quotation.
Or feel free to send us a message using our online enquiry form. A member of our expert care team will respond as soon as possible, typically within 24 hours.
