I am helping a friend of mine whose mother is in the moderate phase of ALZ. She's having difficulty swallowing and often simply doesn't want to take her pills altogether. I've looked over her medlist and identified those meds that can be safely crushed.
My question is what, in your experience, are the best foods and liquids to mask the taste of the meds. For other health reasons- they avoid giving her sugary sweets like applesauce, pudding, and ice cream so I'm looking for alternatives to those.
I appreciate all your comments and suggestions! Thanks to all of you. It's really helping me think about how to tread these waters with this family as both their friend but also as nurse. The advice I'd give as one might differ from the advice I'd give as the other so I'm very grateful to hear your insight and try to find that balance. Blessings to you all.
I appreciate all your comments and suggestions! Thanks to all of you. It's really helping me think about how to tread these waters with this family as both their friend but also as nurse. The advice I'd give as one might differ from the advice I'd give as the other so I'm very grateful to hear your insight and try to find that balance. Blessings to you all.
Exactly. It sounds like the caregivers are dealing with a lot, and controlling what they can. Even if you were trying to influence only as a nurse, which clearly you are not, it sounds like they are acting in the best interests of the patient. They are fortunate to have you in their support system. It sounds as though you offer ideas, but respect their autonomy. I admire you for that.
As a friend it's not your job to educate-you risk losing that friendship.Your job is to provide emotional support and encourage them to seek and accept support and education from appropriate sources .I have worked with many families who tried to strictly control and aggressively manage their demented parent's health.Do you know how many regretted those decisions in the end? When confronted by the horror show of the end stage of the disease they realized what they had done.That's why support from groups like t he Alzheimer's association is so important-it helps to talk to people who have walked the path before you.
This is so very important. I think that people don't realize that dementia will kill, always and every time and it's a really difficult, slow and agonizing process, often more for the family than the patient themselves.
One thing your friends, and people like that will benefit from is the experience of others. Having seen how ugly the final months (sometimes years) Alzheimer's can be for a patient and caregivers, I can tell you right now, allowing quality of life and another co-mortality to take them sooner is a blessing in disguise.
I'm not trying to be callous.. nobody wants to think of loosing a loved one.. but if they've never suffered a couple years in the end stage of dementia... they really can't fully understanding how traumatizing it can be for all concerned.
Please tell me she is not on a ton of supplemental meds ie chondroitin or vitamins....As AD advances, it is time to decrease the amounts of meds, not just try to get them all in her, IMHO.
This is so very important. I think that people don't realize that dementia will kill, always and every time and it's a really difficult, slow and agonizing process, often more for the family than the patient themselves.
One thing your friends, and people like that will benefit from is the experience of others. Having seen how ugly the final months (sometimes years) Alzheimer's can be for a patient and caregivers, I can tell you right now, allowing quality of life and another co-mortality to take them sooner is a blessing in disguise.
I'm not trying to be callous.. nobody wants to think of loosing a loved one.. but if they've never suffered a couple years in the end stage of dementia... they really can't fully understanding how traumatizing it can be for all concerned.
One thing to point out to the family is that the amount of substance needed is relatively inconsequential. You don't have to mix it into a full serving (and often, doing so doesn't do a whole lot of improve the flavor, just makes it that much harder to get down). Even for people with tons of meds, I'm still usually using just a bite or two of pudding.
I have heard of people using peanut butter. That might be a lower sugar option.
I recently saw Teepa Snow, renowned educator in dementia... and she said Strawberry Jam as it is very sweet and the not quite smooth texture can hide pills better than applesauce or puddings. I haven't tried it yet, but her explanation made everyone in the audience have an "Ah ha!" moment.
Hey guys thanks for the responses! Lo and behold, I discovered a recipe that seems to satisfy the health preferences of the family and the taste preferences of the patients. Its avocado pudding! Stop making faces, it's actually quite delicious. I make it in small batches so it's used up within 2 days.
1 avocado
1t liquid stevia leaf
1T maple syrup
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 T coconut mil
1 pinch cinammom
blend in high-speed blender
I realize this is not a realistic recipe to use in hospitals or ALF, but in the home setting, if you have the time to prepare, I would try it! The patient is accepting it just fine and I can tell it does indeed mask the bitterness of the meds.
heynow1313
158 Posts
I appreciate all your comments and suggestions! Thanks to all of you. It's really helping me think about how to tread these waters with this family as both their friend but also as nurse. The advice I'd give as one might differ from the advice I'd give as the other so I'm very grateful to hear your insight and try to find that balance. Blessings to you all.