Unit 49;Understand and meet the nutritional requirements of individuals with dementia. 1) Understand the nutritional needs that are unique to individuals with dementia. 1.1) Describe how cognitive, functional, and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating, drinking and nutrition; Symptoms associated with dementia, can have detrimental effect on individuals, if they are not addressed and resolved. In some individuals, cognitive impairments interfere with the sequences and patterns associated with completing tasks, so, remembering how to use items such as cutlery, drinking cups etc, and the order, or way in which to use them are lost. It can mean that tasks such as making a cup of tea, or a sandwich can no longer be completed.
Secondly, functional changes that may occur with someone with dementia is that they may have had a stroke or have weakness in using limbs which would affect them using utensils such as a knife and fork for instance not having the strength to lift the fork to their mouth. Or they may have lost strength within the swallowing or chewing, this would significantly affect a person in reference to eating drinking and nutrition. This can lead to a person not being able to eat and therefore losing weight and possibly malnourished and becoming dehydrated. Thirdly, emotional changes can affect eating, drinking and nutrition in a huge way. For instance people with dementia can be affected by grief as in the most common of circumstances they are elderly and may have suffered the loss of a partner.
DEM 302 Understanding and meet the nutritional requirements of individuals with dementia. 1.1 Describe how cognitive, functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating. If the individuals cognitive ability is impaired they could forget to eat and drink, as well as think that they haven’t been fed, we might think they had a drink or eaten their food where as they might have tipped their drink down the sink or thrown their food away. If the functional ability changes it could mean that they can’t hold cutlery or hold a drink, therefore unable to feed themselves or feed themselves properly. When the emotional state changes they may become stressed and not want to eat or drink and may also forget that they need to
For example if my client had high cholesterol and chose to continually eat saturated fatty foods. 3.1 Factors that help promote an individuals dignity, comfort and enjoyment while eating and drinking would be to for them to choose where they would prefer to sit and to ensure that it is safe, hygienic, warm and light. Make it a pleasant quiet experience with no distractions or noise. 4.1 Lots of individuals eat slowly this could be due to wrong fitting dentures, swallowing problems or maybe it helps digestion. To start clearing away before an individual has chosen to finish eating and drinking is firstly rude but also could make the individual feel that they should be finished.
Vascular dementia is caused when there is a reduction in the blood flow to the brain. Over time, this can damage the parts of the brain which play a large part of a person memory, speech and attention. A stroke can play a part in this type of dementia when it narrows the blood vessels to the brain. Dementia with Lewy Bodies is caused by lumps of protein which builds up inside nerve cells inside the brain, the proteins damage the nerve cells and how they work, these nerves are responsible for thinking, memory and movement of a person. Dementia with Lewy Bodies can be closely related to Parkinsons Disease and there is a theory that Dementia with Lewy Bodies interferes with two neurotransmitters called dopamine and acetylcholine which assist in the brains functions.
Often just knowing that we are thirsty as opposed to hungry will lead to a better choice being made in selecting drink over food. As cognitive function deteriorates in the dementia patient these decisions are obviously effected more so. In the extreme a dementia patient will not realise that they are dehydrated or that they are hungry and will go without food and drink for longer periods then perhaps is healthy unless they are prompted by their carers to receive nutrition This factor must also be balanced against the fact that older, sentient, people often need less food and drink then younger more active people and a good carer will also be conscious of this Dementia can effect the choices that a person makes on the type of food they want to eat. For example we have a lady called Joyce who prefers foods (and drinks) that are white. (She also prefers her chair to be white so you can see the level of dementia being dealt with here).
changing positions of individuals etc. HSC2003-Outcome 2- assist in minimising individuals pain or discomfort. 1. Describe how pain and discomfort may affect an INDIVIDUAL’S well-being and communication. Pain can effect individuals communication so it is therefore important to observe their behaviour for signs of pain.
2.1 The medical model sees the patient with dementia as a problem. They need to adapt to fit in with society other wise become isolated. 2.2 The social model sees that society need to change to accommodate individuals with dementia, recognising the person other than the illness. 2.3 Dementia should be viewed as a disability because people with this are unable to function in the normal running of every day life. They can forget to take medications, forget that they need to eat or drink or wash and change their clothes.
Lifetime Diet Project NTFD 3250 Long-term effects of eating disorders with focus on Anorexia bulimia Inevitably, one assumes that eating disorders do damage to health. However the damage is detrimental by how our bodies physiologically respond and compensate for the lack of nutrients it absorbs. While studies show anorexia causes damages to vital organs and blood concentrations, it is noted that an eating order will likely cause health problems for the rest of a person’s life, even after re-feeding patients to improve health. Depending on the seriousness of the eating disorder and duration of the disorder, will affect the ability for healing processes to even occur. The duration of the eating disorder, if serious enough, it will create
Its suggested that older adults should not eat alone because eating with others increases the chances of eating healthier since one is more likely to have an enjoyable meal in a social atmosphere. However, the elderly can sometimes find it hard to do this expecially if they live alone. For those that live alone some tips would include setting up times to eat with family members, friends, or neighbors. One could also, involve themselves with senior meal programs and or adult day care centers. http://www.helpguide.org/life/senior_nutrition.htm Staying on Track In order for the elderly too successfully stay on track when it comes to reaching their recommended nutrition needs there are several ways.