Support and Caring for a Person with Dementia
Description
The patient presents with dementia, poor posture (her chin close to her chest) and dislikes solids, there for has to be assisted to feed and chooses only to consume liquids. Her communication skills are also poor and doesn’t have the capacity to engage in a flowing conversation but has the ability to answer a question using the words ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or by saying individual words. I was given the task of feeding the patient at lunch time as she requires one to one support at meal times due to her lack of willingness to consume solids and fluids. It is extremely important to maintain good fluid intake to reduce the chance of dehydration which could contribute to increased confusion in a dementia patient. To prevent this, patient H has a daily fluid chart which is filled in every time fluids are consumed as a way of effectively monitoring her intake of fluids.
I informed patient H it was meal time and directed her to her chair by her bedside, supporting her to sit and positioned a bedside table over her chair. H expresses distress and agitation when sitting in the dining room at meal times with the other patients therefor patients H’s preferences are respected by supporting her to feed at her bed area. I put a plastic green apron on her to protect her clothes and maintain her dignity, washed my hands and put a green apron over my own clothing for hygiene purposes in accordance with my wards food hygiene policy. As the patient only consumes fluids I got a Fortisip drink from the fridge, poured it into a handled plastic cup and added a straw. Fortisip drinks have a high nutritional and energy value and are used as meal replacement in cases such as this patient. I communicated with the patient verbally in an encouraging manner and held the cup and directed the straw to her mouth. I did this at several intervals, making sure I left a sufficient time in between sips to enable her to swallow the contents of the liquid, encouraging conversation
The patient presents with dementia, poor posture (her chin close to her chest) and dislikes solids, there for has to be assisted to feed and chooses only to consume liquids. Her communication skills are also poor and doesn’t have the capacity to engage in a flowing conversation but has the ability to answer a question using the words ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or by saying individual words. I was given the task of feeding the patient at lunch time as she requires one to one support at meal times due to her lack of willingness to consume solids and fluids. It is extremely important to maintain good fluid intake to reduce the chance of dehydration which could contribute to increased confusion in a dementia patient. To prevent this, patient H has a daily fluid chart which is filled in every time fluids are consumed as a way of effectively monitoring her intake of fluids.
I informed patient H it was meal time and directed her to her chair by her bedside, supporting her to sit and positioned a bedside table over her chair. H expresses distress and agitation when sitting in the dining room at meal times with the other patients therefor patients H’s preferences are respected by supporting her to feed at her bed area. I put a plastic green apron on her to protect her clothes and maintain her dignity, washed my hands and put a green apron over my own clothing for hygiene purposes in accordance with my wards food hygiene policy. As the patient only consumes fluids I got a Fortisip drink from the fridge, poured it into a handled plastic cup and added a straw. Fortisip drinks have a high nutritional and energy value and are used as meal replacement in cases such as this patient. I communicated with the patient verbally in an encouraging manner and held the cup and directed the straw to her mouth. I did this at several intervals, making sure I left a sufficient time in between sips to enable her to swallow the contents of the liquid, encouraging conversation