As a caregiver to a friend or family member with Alzheimer’s, you know just how difficult that even the simplest of tasks can be. Getting out of bed, getting into bed, getting dressed, and simply getting around the house can become seemingly impossible. While the symptoms of Alzheimer's can make just about any situation more difficult, there is one social interaction that is leaps and bounds harder than others — mealtime.
During middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s, mealtime can become complicated for many reasons ranging from distractions to physical and emotional limitations, making the interaction both harder, and more dangerous for both you as a caregiver, and the person that you are providing care to.
Here at HomeCARE Furniture by ComforTek, your primary international source of homecare furniture, we understand the difficulties that you, as a caregiver, face on a day-to-day basis. Because of the inherent need for mealtime solutions for caregivers and their loved ones with middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer's, we have produced homecare furnishings that allow for both safer and more enjoyable mealtimes.
Our various mobility assist chairs are specially designed for Alzheimer’s homecare, featuring mobility assist levers for easy positioning at the table, as well as a locking swivel to ensure that safe directional changes can be made. The purpose of our mobility assist chairs is to allow caregivers and their loved ones to find enjoyment in their mealtimes once again while remaining safe, and comfortable.
In today’s blog post we will be discussing mealtime, as well as some tips that might make mealtime easier for caregivers, as well as their loved ones who are suffering from Alzheimer’s.
The Difficulties Of Mealtime
When you are a caretaker to someone suffering from middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s, there are more things that can go wrong than right when it comes to mealtime. Anything from mobility issues and actually sitting down at the table to distractions and differentiated taste, smell, and perception can make mealtime incredibly difficult. Mealtime is supposed to be a fun time where you can simply enjoy being with family, but sometimes it can become overwhelming. Below, we have compiled a list of actions that can be made to potentially make mealtime easier, safer, and more enjoyable —just like old times.
Limit The Amount Of Distractions Present
One of the most difficult things to do is feed someone with middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s while they are distracted. In order to ensure that the mealtime process goes smoothly, it is important to make sure that auditory and visual distractions are at a minimum. By turning off or turning down the radio, turning off the tv, or silencing electronics that have the potential to make noise, it is more likely that you can get through mealtime faster and safer — all while having a more enjoyable time.
Use Distinguishable Tableware
When a person begins to enter the middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s, changes in their visual and spatial abilities might occur. It can become difficult for them to distinguish items of similar color and shade as a result of their spatial disability, making it important that you differentiate the plate from the table, and the food from the plate. Consider a dark tablecloth paired with a light, single shade, bowl or plate.
Stay Tuned For Part Two Of Our Post
Mealtimes can be incredibly difficult for both caregivers, as well as those suffering from middle-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s. Frustration can manifest itself during a time that once used to be quite enjoyable as distractions, spatial and visual issues, mobility issues, and more arise. As a homecare furnishings company, HomeCARE Furniture by ComforTek understands the difficulties associated with mealtimes, being why we sell mobility assist chairs and bariatric chairs with casters to caregivers in need of a simple mealtime solution.
Our selection of mobility dining chairs features a number of innovative tools that can not only make positioning your loved one at the table easier but can also make mealtime interactions safer for all parties involved. Whether you need a stationary dining swivel chair or swivel dining room chairs with casters, we have it.
Browse our extensive inventory of mobility assist chairs online today, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions. Additionally, be sure to stay tuned for part two of this blog post where we will discuss further how to make mealtime easier, and more enjoyable.