A question I’m often asked is what would I recommend buying a person with dementia? This has become even more pertinent with so many family members unable to see relatives with dementia during the pandemic, and looking for ideas of…
Tag: eating
When eating just isn’t happening
One of the topics I haven’t covered in depth on this blog is refusal to eat. So many of my blog posts are inspired by our experiences with my dad, and one thing he never did was refuse to eat,…
Still hard to swallow
With over 200 blogs on D4Dementia now, some of them approaching 7 years old in May this year, I’ve decided to spend my 2019 year of blogging by re-visiting some of the topics I’ve covered previously, throwing fresh light on…
The digestive balance
You know that feeling you get after a meal when you’ve eaten a bit too much and although you loved the meal you are wishing you had shown a bit more restraint? Commonly known as indigestion, something I suspect all…
Let’s talk about dementia – Surprises
Welcome to the third of my seven ‘mini’ blogs for UK Dementia Awareness Week 2013. They are all themed around talking about dementia, exploring different aspects of conversation from the point of view of people who are living with dementia, carers…
Hydrated and happy
Dehydration is one of the biggest challenges facing anyone caring for someone who is older or living with dementia. Many older people are known to be chronically short of fluid in their bodies, leading to urinary tract infections and many…
Catching some z’s
There are few things more closely associated with wellbeing than a good night’s sleep. It is something many of us take for granted until it is disturbed by the people or environment around us, or when those dreaded nights of…
Hard to swallow
Something that is sadly very common in advanced dementia is the decline of the swallowing reflex. The condition, known as dysphagia, is extremely distressing for both the person affected and those caring for them, and can be fatal, either directly…
A ‘can do’ attitude
Watching Paralympians you cannot help but be inspired by their ‘can do’ attitude. For these athletes, there is no barrier too great or no dream they cannot fulfil, which for a society that so often sees the negative before the…
The sun is out!
There were many occasions during my father’s nine years in three different care homes when I honestly wondered if having dementia was a byword for keeping people in captivity. Day after day, week after week, residents were kept cooped up…
Treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself
Ask most people caring for a loved one with dementia what they dread the most, and a common theme will probably be hospital admission. For so many reasons, hospitals and dementia patients are a combination that is fraught with problems,…
Food for thought
One of the things many of us take for granted in our busy lives is the enjoyment of food. It is vital to fuel our bodies for the physical and mental exertions they face, and it is one of life’s great…
