Tets H&Sc Diploma Level 3 Unit 49 Dem302

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Unit 49 DEM302 Understand and Meet the Nutritional Requirements of Individuals with Dementia This unit is about understanding that individuals may have specific nutritional needs because of their experience of dementia. Learners will develop their knowledge and skills in meeting these nutritional requirements and be able to provide evidence of their competence to enable individuals with dementia to eat and drink well. Question 1 Describe how cognitive, functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating, drinking and nutrition. (1.1) A dementia patient will make poorer choices about the foods and drinks they wish to consume. 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). As a person faculties deteriorates, particularly with dementia, the physical act of eating and drinking may also be effected. We have a lady called Joan who likes to eat with her hands instead of using cutlery...
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