Dining and Nutrition

Good nutrition is vital for the health, independence and wellbeing of people with dementia. However, maintaining a healthy weight can be a challenge for many people with dementia.

Difficulties eating and drinking are more noticeable as dementia progresses and unwanted weight loss is a common problem. We use ‘nutritional screening’, used to identify people who are at risk of malnutrition, alongside several tools to assess the individual and issues which may put up barriers; for example communicating their likes and dislikes, chewing and swallowing problems.

Asking a person with dementia about the food they like to eat is vital to ensure we provide options at mealtimes that they enjoy and are familiar with. Families and carers can be a valuable source of information if the person with dementia is struggling to communicate their eating habits and preferences for food and drinks. It is important to review preferences for food regularly and record changes.