September is World Alzheimer’s Month. We thought we would put together some information about Alzheimer’s to share throughout this month. In this post, we look at how Alzheimer’s can affect eating and drinking.

As our memory and problem-solving abilities become affected by Alzheimer’s, our ability to regulate our food and drink intake can vary greatly. Sometimes, we may forget to eat and drink, so may become dehydrated, under-nourished, and lose weight. Equally, we may forget that we’ve not long eaten, or we might be concerned about when our next meal is coming, so we may over-eat instead.

Many dementias, including Alzheimer’s, can make it difficult for us to distinguish between colours. This might mean that we don’t recognise that there is food and drink in front of us. For example, white rice on a white plate, sausage casserole in a brown bowl, or orange squash in an orange cup may not be visible to us. This means we might think we’ve finished a meal or a drink before we actually have.

We may also find it more difficult to prepare food. We may forget that we’ve put something in the oven, or we may be so concerned that we’ll make a mistake that we simply won’t eat. Meal delivery services may help with this issue. There are a few in our local area, and we have some menus in our office for people we support.

Our co-ordination may be affected by a dementia. This might mean we struggle to hold cutlery, we may struggle to bring food to our mouths, and we may not be able to open our mouths once food is against our lips. This can mean we end up not being able to eat a full meal, and we may need some support with eating and drinking, like prompts and reminders etc.

It’s also important to consider the social and environmental factors, as well as the physical ones. Because Alzheimer’s might make it difficult to open our mouths at times, we might accidentally spill things. This can make us feel embarrassed, and mean we’re less likely to go out to social activities that involve eating, like meals out with family and friends, or going to weddings etc. This can lead to us feeling isolated and withdrawn from those who matter most to us. Having the right support in place can make all the difference. If you are experiencing problems with eating and drinking, and need some support at mealtimes, Teign Angels is very experienced in supporting people with eating and drinking. Get in touch for a no-obligation chat about how we might be able to help.