Congestive heart failure is one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions for senior citizens. In fact, over 5 million adults in the United States experience heart failure.
We grow up thinking chicken soup will make us well, but when a person has trouble swallowing, the simple act of eating or drinking can become dangerous. Difficulty swallowing is known medically as dysphagia. It can cause not just choking, but also aspiration pneumonia when liquids or food particles slide down the windpipe and infect the lungs.
Good nutrition is always important, but it’s even more essential when facing cancer. A good diet can help patients feel better and stay strong during treatment. But that very treatment can make it hard to maintain the best nutrition for cancer patients.
Tea and toast syndrome sounds quaint, but it is a real condition that can put seniors at risk for malnutrition. A person experiencing tea and toast syndrome will limit their diet due to a variety of reasons including a lack of desire to eat, inability to prepare proper meals, trouble chewing or swallowing, limited funds, or difficulty getting food into the house. It is especially common in those who live alone.
We associate food with comfort. Babies bond with their mothers while nursing or being fed a bottle. We give our loved one chicken soup when they are in bed with a cold.
Food is so important to our cultural celebrations and holidays. A colorfully decorated cake and ice cream on birthdays. Turkey and all the trimmings on Thanksgiving. Spiral ham, pecan pies and sugar cookies at Christmas. Sufganiyah and livivot on Hanukah. BBQ burgers, dogs and ice cold watermelon on the 4th of July. It goes on and on. For generations, this is how we have shown our family and friends that we care about them.
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or related dementia diseases can be life-changing and all encompassing. But knowing the signs of late-stage Alzheimer’s is critical in obtaining the resources available to improve the lives of the patient and family. Find common signs of late-stage Alzheimer’s here.
