How to Feed an Elderly Person With Parkinson's

Feeding an elderly person who has Parkinson's disease can be a challenging task. The disease causes slowness of movement, so a caregiver must allow more time for the patient to eat and also must prepare the meal in a way that makes it easier to consume. According to The Center for Neurologic Study (CNS), nearly 70 percent of patients with Parkinson's disease lose weight during their illness and many do not eat enough because it takes so long to complete a meal. A few simple changes to the feeding routine can make mealtime go more smoothly for the patient and caregiver.

Things You'll Need

• Electric warming tray
• Blender or food processor

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Instructions

• 1

  Plan for a generous amount of time for mealtime, as slowness of movement is a characteristic of Parkinson's disease. Encourage family members to gather at the table with the patient so that the experience is enlivened with conversation. According to Family Caregiver Alliance, which provides programs and advice for families caring for loved ones with chronic health conditions, a caregiver can cause a patient to feel anxious by hurrying him to finish a task. Allowing plenty of time for eating will make mealtimes more pleasant for both the caregiver and the patient.

  The CNS estimates that a person suffering from Parkinson's disease will need to spend three to five times longer completing ordinary tasks than he did before the disease. So, if eating lunch used to take 20 minutes, it might now require an hour or even longer.

• 2

  Cut meat and other hard-to-manage foods in advance. Handling a knife is a difficult task for someone with advanced Parkinson's, according to the CNS.

• 3

  Purchase an electric warming tray to keep food warm and tasty for extended mealtimes. These trays are available in department stores.

• 4

  Remember to allow the patient to use a spoon rather than a fork for foods like peas that have to be chased around the plate.

• 5

  Use a food processor or blender to make foods easier to consume for patients who have dentures.