This leaflet offers practical advice on how you can help someone with early stage dementia to overcome problems with eating and drinking. If you have any further questions, please speak to a Health Care Professional caring for your relative or friend.
Many people with dementia have problems with eating and drinking. Food plays a very important part in our lives, so it can be upsetting to see someone we love lose interest in food and lose weight as a consequence.
Why does this happen?
Some of the most common reasons why people with dementia may stop eating or drinking and some ways that you can help are described below.
People with dementia may:
- Lose their sense of time and forget about meal times
- Have difficulties connecting feelings of hunger with eating. They may forget to eat even when food is placed in front of them
- Be suspicious about food
- Have difficulty preparing meals
Prompting with eating and drinking may help remind them to start eating. Often when a person starts eating they find it easier to continue
Gently placing your hand over theirs to help guide the fork or spoon to their mouth can be helpful
Choose easy to eat meals
Offer reassurance
You may want to consider a cook chilled meals delivery service
People with dementia may:
- Become distracted especially in a busy environment or at a table with lots of people sitting around it
- Find it difficult to sit down to a meal and may pace around
Try ‘finger foods’ that can be carried around such as sandwiches, cheese portions, buttered scone, fruit such as bananas or grapes, or cake bars
Carry drinks in cartons or bottles as they are easier to carry around
Keep mealtimes quiet and calm. Avoid having the television or radio on
Keep food appetising and colourful
Avoid using patterned tablecloths; use a separate colour from the plate
Avoid using patterned crockery. Use plain coloured crockery, yellow crockery is recommended to show contrast between food and the plate
Remind your friend or relative when meals are due and try to maintain routine
People with dementia may:
- Experience altered sense of taste and changes in food preferences
Offer a variety of foods
Try intensely flavoured foods including sweet flavours and condiments
People with dementia may:
- Find it hard to use a knife and fork and may stop eating because it is physically difficult
Try foods that can be eaten by hand
Specially adapted utensils can make eating easier and help to maintain your friend or relative’s independence, as long as they recognise the adapted utensils and are able to use them. They may be available from occupational therapy in your area. Ask your GP for more information
People with dementia may:
- Find that some of the medications used can cause a dry mouth or constipation, and therefore be discouraged from eating.
Encouraging regular nourishing drinks can help ease a dry mouth and help prevent constipation
If appetite is poor, avoid high fibre foods as these can make someone feel full
Using gravy and sauces can make food easier to swallow
Good daily dental hygiene and mouth care can prevent tooth decay and gum disease
I am worried that my friend or relative with dementia is losing weight – what can I do?
There are a variety of supplement drinks (shakes and soups) available from the chemist or supermarket such as Complan and Meritene (previously known as Build-up).
If your friend or relative requires further support, a referral to a Dietitian can be made
via your GP. They can offer more tailored and practical advice and provide written information on how to improve the diet of someone who has a small appetite.
They may advise on a variety of supplements available on prescription from your friend or relative’s GP. These have extra energy, protein, vitamins and minerals added to them, and can help to provide extra nutrition when appetite is poor.
Contact us
If you have any questions or concerns about eating and drinking difficulties in dementia, please discuss these with the ward team, or the Dementia team, or alternatively please speak with your GP who can refer you to the Dietitian or Speech and Language Therapist as appropriate.
Useful information
Dementia UK helpline and website
Anyone with a question or concern about Dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) can call our Dementia Helpline for free on 0800 888 66 78, send an email to [email protected] or visit the dementia uk website for further information.
Carers Together
Carers Together offer local, friendly and confidential services that aim to ease the pressure of caring. Our team of staff and volunteers are on hand to help carers with any issues they may face, including benefits, health problems, housing, training, employment, taking a break from caring or concerns about the person they care for.
Telephone: 01642 488977
Email: [email protected]
Visit the carers together website
NHS 111
Offers health information and advice from specially trained nurses over the phone 24 hours a day.
Telephone: 111
Visit the NHS 111 website
NHS Choices
Provides online information and guidance on all aspects of health and healthcare, to help you make choices about your health.
Visit the NHS website
Alzheimer’s Society
Helpline: 0300 222 11 22
Visit the alzheimers website
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital In Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the Patient Experience Department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print.
T: 01642 835964
E: [email protected]