Nutrition Tips and What to Watch For
As dementia progresses, safe eating often means smaller, softer, easier-to-grab foods, like finger foods and pureed textures, served on a consistent schedule. Watch for signs of chewing or swallowing difficulty and involve a doctor or speech-language pathologist if choking or aspiration becomes a concern.
Dementia is a condition that causes a decline in cognitive functioning. But as the disease progresses into the late stages, many seniors struggle with eating. Many factors play into this, including:
- Forgetting to eat: dementia causes memory loss, making it difficult for some individuals with the condition to remember to eat consistently.
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing: motor control issues are common in people with dementia, and these issues can increase in severity over the progression of the disease. This may lead impacted individuals to fear or limit eating on a regular basis.
- Refusal to eat due to discomfort or pain: experiencing pain can impact a person’s sense of hunger and willingness to eat. Dementia also often limits the ability to communicate with others in the later stages of the disease, so caregivers might have a more difficult time understanding if their loved one is not eating due to feeling physically unwell.
- Medication changes that may decrease appetite: certain medications can have a strong impact on appetite and may increase or decrease willingness to eat. Seniors also often face declining sensory activity, sometimes impacted by medication, meaning that food may taste blander and more flavorless. Both factors can mean a significant reduction in food consumption.
It’s important for seniors with dementia to have family members or caregivers involved in their eating schedule and habits to ensure they are eating on a regular basis and receiving proper nutrition. The consequences of malnutrition can be severe and lead to a higher risk of infection or death.
Texture of Food with Dementia, and What To Know
As a person’s dementia progresses, they will likely develop difficulty with chewing and swallowing food. Specific foods may be more challenging for them to eat, including food that is particularly dry, such as biscuits or tough meat. Monitoring a person with dementia’s food intake is particularly important because these eating difficulties can have dire consequences and pose significant health risks.
A big risk that individuals with dementia face is aspiration, which occurs when food or liquids enter the lungs and cause a serious infection. This condition can be fatal, but there are steps that families and caregivers can take to avoid the risk of aspiration. Using a food processor to puree food can significantly reduce the risk of choking and aspiration, as it reduces the need to chew and is much easier to swallow. Pureeing food makes it softer and thins the texture, offering a much safer eating experience, which is important for individuals who are at a higher risk of choking.
To make eating easier for individuals with dementia, caregivers can also introduce finger foods as a regular part of their diet. Finger foods are significantly easier to eat than meals that require the use of utensils or are larger in size. They are often easier to grab and hold, can be easily chewed or swallowed, and promote independence during mealtime. This can increase their feelings of autonomy and increase their willingness to eat, which will aid in preventing malnutrition.
Finger foods are easy to incorporate into a diet, and there are a large variety of options, which include:
Protein: chicken nuggets, sausage, rotisserie chicken, hardboiled egg
Dairy: string cheese, yogurt tube, milkshakes
Fruits: blueberries, sliced oranges, sliced strawberries, sliced cucumber
Grains: mini muffins, tater tots, ravioli, potato wedges
Desserts: ice cream bars, popsicles, mini donuts, sliced cake
Frequently Asked Questions About Dementia and Diet
What is the best thing to eat if you have dementia?
Foods that support brain health are ideal, including antioxidant-rich berries, fatty fish like salmon, leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. In later stages, easy-to-eat finger foods and soft, calorie-dense foods (as listed above) become more important for maintaining nutrition safely.
What should dementia patients not eat?
It’s best to limit foods high in saturated fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, and sodium. Fried foods and red meat are also generally discouraged, especially as swallowing becomes more difficult.
What foods are easiest to swallow for someone with dementia?
Pureed foods, soft finger foods, and moist dishes (like mashed potatoes, yogurt, or scrambled eggs) tend to be easiest to swallow safely. A speech-language pathologist can recommend an exact texture level if swallowing has become a concern.
Safe Eating and Care at Chantilly Heights
People with dementia don’t have to be limited to only a few food options. Food processors and finger foods offer something for everyone. At Chantilly Heights, we offer our residents a variety of food textures and finger food options that ensure your loved one receives proper nutrition and can eat safely. We also make accommodations for different diets, such as diabetic meals and no added salt. Meals may be pureed or cut into smaller pieces to make each meal experience easier.
Balanced meals are incredibly important to overall well-being and living a healthy lifestyle. With cognitive conditions like dementia, proper nutrition and eating regularly are more important than ever. Our community at Chantilly Heights can provide your loved one with the care they need to thrive. To learn more about our nutritious meal plan, or to visit the community for yourself, contact us today!
