Swallowing Problems

[Snowdonia]

My mother has been in a care home for 9 months now, due to alzheimers and is 89. She fell and broke her hip last weekend and despite being very frail & having a chest infection she came through the operation. She is still in hospital and extremely confused and frightened as she is unavoidably no longer in familiar surroundings. Her dementia seems to have escalated rapidly although perhaps it will improve if she ever gets back to the care home. Her chest infection is still being treated and she was on oxygen yesterday. She is not really eating or drinking and when she tries she just gags and retches and even almost choked as she tried to push her false teeth out. They say her struggle with swallowing is probably due to fluid in her lungs from the chest infection, but now I am worrying that it could relate to the alzheimers. I know she needs fluid and nutrition but it seems strange to keep trying to get her to do these things when she just retches and struggles. I don't actually know why I am writing this but I dread going in to visit as I cannot really help or give answers and she keeps asking what should she do now and what should she do tomorrow and it all sounds so banal when I know that most of her day will be staring at the room. Then she asks again a minute later and again, and again. Then she calls the nurse, who comes over, only to be asked what she is there for and to go away and not hurry back! Can this struggle to swallow really be down to a chest infection and fluid.

 

[canary]

Could you ask the doctors for an assessment from the SALT (speech and language therapy) team? They are the experts on swallowing problems

 

[LadyA]

What canary said! Very urgent assessment by the SALT team needed, I would say. And a pureed diet and thickened liquids with just tiny amounts from a teaspoon. Of course, the trauma of the whole thing has escalated your mum's dementia - and the change in surroundings, routine, strange faces around her, strange place etc. Plus the anaesthetic, and the infection - all those things will take their toll. And in hospitals, everyone is in such a hurry. Would it help a little to sort of quieten her immediate surroundings by drawing the curtains around her bed while trying to feed her, so there's less to distract her? - it is a very difficult situation.

 

[looviloo]

Good advice to get SALT involved. It might be that the situation settles down again, but in the short term the problems need to be dealt with.

It's a horrible situation for you all and I'm not surprised that you dread visiting. My dad broke his shoulder last year and was in hospital for 2 weeks. He became extremely confused and it was distressing for everyone. He did improve though... it just takes time...

As for the swallowing issues, my dad has this, plus speech problems too. It's worse when he's stressed or has a chest infection (which is happening more often). Would music sooth your mum and reduce the stress levels? Pull the curtain round if it isn't already? Don't forget to take care of yourself too x

 

[Gwendy1]

Hi , my dad was identified to have swallowing problems when he was in hospital in December with chest infection. He's back at CH now, but had further pneumonia in January. Trust your instincts..you know your mum best. As others have said request your mum is assessed by SALT team. My dad still has distressing issues with his diet- even with puréed/ thickened fluids. It's a frightening thing to witness, I know. Hopefully, your mum just needs modified diet until she's fully recovered from infection. Take care. G. X


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