Swallowing
My Mother has just recently passed away (7 wks ago) with Vascular Dementia (Aspiration Pneumonia)She had tried all consistencies and stages of food and drink types. Before her passing she was on a very soft stage diet with no lumps or bits in the food and drink at all. She went through stages of holding the food in her mouth for long periods of time. I found gentle encouragement and gently rubbing parts of her cheeks and neck often helped but with that I used to show her pictures and talk to her about them on a magazine or even on my mobile which also helped and distracted her somehow into swallowing. I used to buy very very small plastic teaspoons and feed her with those. I picked this idea up from the hospital where she went one time, as I noticed she was much better eating very small amounts at a time. The other idea I used was to alternate food and drink so I would give her one small teaspoon of puree and one small teaspoon of drink and so on and so fourth. I made sure before feeding we had everything we needed with little ideas here an their to encourage at meal times. I had to be calm and patient and loving like I had all the time in the world for her which I did and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I must have done something right as when I asked if she wanted me or the carer to feed her she said "you" this is from a lady who didn't speak for about a year and, only said the odd word every couple of weeks if I was lucky, and so it was always my privilege to be spending that special time with her at meal times.
My Mother has just recently passed away (7 wks ago) with Vascular Dementia (Aspiration Pneumonia)She had tried all consistencies and stages of food and drink types. Before her passing she was on a very soft stage diet with no lumps or bits in the food and drink at all. She went through stages of holding the food in her mouth for long periods of time. I found gentle encouragement and gently rubbing parts of her cheeks and neck often helped but with that I used to show her pictures and talk to her about them on a magazine or even on my mobile which also helped and distracted her somehow into swallowing. I used to buy very very small plastic teaspoons and feed her with those. I picked this idea up from the hospital where she went one time, as I noticed she was much better eating very small amounts at a time. The other idea I used was to alternate food and drink so I would give her one small teaspoon of puree and one small teaspoon of drink and so on and so fourth. I made sure before feeding we had everything we needed with little ideas here an their to encourage at meal times. I had to be calm and patient and loving like I had all the time in the world for her which I did and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I must have done something right as when I asked if she wanted me or the carer to feed her she said "you" this is from a lady who didn't speak for about a year and, only said the odd word every couple of weeks if I was lucky, and so it was always my privilege to be spending that special time with her at meal times.