There’s nothing better than a tall, cold drink on a hot summer day, but when dysphagia in the elderly is a concern, this simple pleasure could be downright dangerous. Dysphagia – or trouble with swallowing – impacts millions of older adults, due to weakened mouth and/or throat muscles. Alzheimer’s, MS, cancer, and stroke are all culprits as well.
- Drooling
- Coughing, gagging or choking when eating, drinking, or taking medication.
- A gurgling sound in the older adult’s voice after drinking/eating
In addition, if you suspect dysphagia in an older family member, ask her or him the following questions – and check with the doctor immediately for additional assistance:
- Have you been coughing or choking when attempting to eat or drink?
- Are you experiencing regular issues with food “going down the wrong pipe?”
- Is food getting caught in your throat?
- Is it taking you longer to eat than it used to?
- Are you losing weight?
If you are taking care of a senior loved one with dysphagia, keep these tips in mind:
- Pay attention to posture. Be sure the senior is sitting completely upright, at a 90-degree angle, before attempting to drink or eat.
- Skip the straw. Straws raise the rate at which the liquid enters the mouth, which can cause choking or aspiration.
- Thicken liquids. Most pharmacies sell thickening powders or gels that should be added to all fluids for those with dysphagia. However, abstain from serving jello and ice cream, which change from their thickened form to a liquid in the mouth.
- Keep nutritional needs in mind. Good options for dysphagia-friendly foods include yogurt, pureed fruits, pureed veggies, pureed beans, and pureed lentils, soft cheese, avocado, and creamy nut butters. Find some easy dysphagia-friendly recipes here.
- Consider medication administration. Washing down pills with thickened liquid may be challenging. Speak with the prescribing doctor and/or pharmacist to see if prescription drugs can be crushed and mixed with applesauce or pudding to help them go down easier.
- Timing is everything. The tiredness that accompanies a chronic health condition that causes dysphagia can make it challenging to drink or eat for more than fifteen minutes at any given time. Make an effort to plan meals around instances when your loved one is least tired, and have thickened drinks available during the day to ensure hydration.
Independence-4-Seniors Home Care is available to help plan and prepare healthy meals and thickened drinks for a senior loved one with dysphagia, and we’ll even pick up all the ingredients, too! Contact us for a free consultation at (630) 323-4665 and discover more about our home care services in Lombard and other nearby areas.