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Nutrition and Dining A growing need


Alzheimer’s is now the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. At the cost of an estimated $290 billion by the end of 2019, Alzheimer’s and other dementias are a continued cause of concern for care- givers and long-term, post-acute care organizations.


The need to provide high-quality services that main- tain the health of our seniors is snowballing as one in three seniors will develop Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and the hours spent caregiving for these individuals will reach nearly 18.5 billion by the end of 2019. Out-of-hospital care providers have been working hard to adapt to the influx of seniors requiring memory care services. At the same time, more companies are creating technology solutions to assist in the care of Alzheimer’s and dementia residents. “However, despite the increased focus on memory care, few have recognized that dining and nutrition services are a crucial piece of the puzzle for managing care in individuals with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia,” said Amy Wootton, RDN, LDN, MatrixCare’s Director of Nutrition Management. Her focus is on helping senior care organizations understand the role nutrition management plays in providing optimal care outcomes


Unique nutrition challenges


As we know, a balanced diet is essential to keep- ing a body strong and healthy. The same is true for those living in memory care; however, dementia poses some unique challenges.


As individuals experience a cognitive decline and progress through the stages of dementia, they may no longer understand the importance of maintaining proper nutrition. Related difficulties include forgetting to eat, forgetting that they have recently eaten, an in- ability to recognize the food being offered, difficulty in


Management Software: An important, but under-utilized tool in managing Alzheimer’s and other dementias


self-feeding, and swallowing disorders. Residents with either of these diseases sometimes can’t remember what they did an hour ago, let alone if they had dinner last night. These individuals are at a higher risk for malnutrition and therefore, a decline in overall health. Person-centered care goals should include main- taining a healthy level of food intake and hydration, improving or maintaining the ability to eat and drink safely, and supporting individual feeding capability for as long as possible. Nutrition and dining software can assist you in supporting these goals.


Leveraging technology for better nutrition


While ensuring proper nutrition is key to avoiding general decline, residents at various stages of de- mentia may not recognize this as necessary, relying on caregivers to provide proper nutrition. Having a menu in a memory care setting that includes essen- tial nutrients that delay mental decline is imperative. Specific meal plans that meet not only the individu- al’s needs but also the desires and preferences of the resident will aid in achieving this goal.


Dining software, such as MatrixCare MealTracker, that allows you to easily obtain food preferences from the resident or his/her loved ones, without the need to make daily selections, can routinely encourage proper dietary intake. Complement this feature with a reputable diet plan, such as MIND– Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegen- erative Delay. In the case of MatrixCare MealTracker, the software recognizes and makes the resident’s preferences a priority within the therapeutic diet, to result in improved nutrition intake. Keep in mind that food preferences may change with dementia and that the individual may reject something they for- merly enjoyed or be open to trying things that they wouldn’t before.


40 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MAY/JUNE 2019


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