CHAPTER 05 | Overview of Body Systems and Medical Nutrition Therapy Interventions
Techniques that successfully maintain food intake and weight in some residents may not work for others. Nutrition management of a resident with Alzheimer’s must be individualized according to the person’s ability and current stage of the disease.
The rate of progression for Alzheimer’s disease varies a great deal. People with Alzheimer’s disease generally live between three and 11 years after diagnosis, but some live 20 years or more. Understanding the progression of the disease is the first step toward nutrition management. The Mayo Clinic (2021b) lists five stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Five Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease Stage 1: Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease
• Begins before any symptoms have become noticeable.
• May last for years or decades without any changes being noticeable unless they are found in a clinical setting.
• Clinical trials that can address prevention and treatment may be helpful in this stage, so early clinical detection is critical.
Managing nutrition for a resident with Alzheimer’s must be individualized, as no two individuals’ needs are the same.
Stage 2: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Not everyone with mild cognitive impairment has Alzheimer’s disease because other causative factors can lead to these behaviors.
• Mild changes in their memory and thinking ability.
• Mild changes aren’t significant enough to affect work or relationships.
• May have memory lapses when it comes to information that is usually easily remembered.
• May have trouble judging the amount of time needed to complete a task and they may have trouble completing a task .
Stage 3: Mild Dementia • Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed in this stage .
• Person is having significant trouble with memory and daily functioning is being affected.
• May experience memory loss of recent events and they may have trouble remembering newly learned information.
• May ask the same questions repeatedly.
• Financial tasks may become difficult to manage and mistakes will be made.
• Changes in personality are noted. • May become more withdrawn. • May show increased anger and irritability. • May have trouble organizing thoughts and expressing idea. • May misplace items. • May get lost in previously familiar surroundings
Nutrition Fundamentals and Medical Nutrition Therapy