If your patient or loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s is experiencing a reduction in caloric intake due to a decreased appetite or loss of hand-eye coordination, getting a daily dose of healthy nutrition can be a real struggle. Fortunately, there are dining aids that can help stimulate the individual’s appetite while making coordination efforts easier for fewer spills and drops. From adaptive dinner plates to nosey cups, we will highlight the features that could make a dramatic difference at your next meal as well as where to find them in Roswell, Georgia.
Nosey Cups
Drinking from a cup can be a tricky process when you suffer from loss of vision, shaking hands, reduced desire to intake fluids, or limited use of your muscles to lift your head or hand. Nosey cups can help with all of these issues as they have a nook carved out for the nose to enter inside the cup without getting bumped as the individual drinks either independently or with some assistance. As a result, the individual may drink without fear of running into the side of the glass and/or spilling the liquid, even if the head is lowered. Built for those who struggle to lift the head to drink or lack the coordination to hold the cup steady, this dining aid can be a real game changer for taking in fluids.
Adaptive Utensils
When your cutlery is hard to hold, it can be an exhausting challenge to say the least to enjoy a meal. Adaptive spoons, forks, and knives can help Alzheimer’s patients or anyone with loss of hand-eye coordination or the ability to easily hold cutlery eat more independently. The larger and more ergonomically designed handles allow for a superior grip. Some utensils also include adjustable handles that can bend to the desired angle and boast a textured grip for more control. Look for a dishwasher safe set that offers a stainless steel utensil with a comfortable and bendable grip.
Plates with Sides
Alzheimer’s can also impact one’s ability to use traditional plates as the food often slides off the sides. Avoid food falling on the table, floor, or lap as well as the embarrassment and frustration that can often accompany such struggles by using plates with sides. These specially designed plates come with dividers and rims or just rims around the sides to stop the fork or spoon from continuing off of the contained eating space. This is also very useful for all family members and friends as the plates assist with more challenging food items for people of all ages and coordination abilities to scoop like pasta and rice.
Red Plates
While searching for the right dinnerware, did you know color can have an impact on one’s appetite? With Alzheimer’s, people tend to think of the issues with the ability to maintain focus or eat without assistance with weight loss and decreased appetitite. However, a study by biopsychologist Alice Cronin-Golomb and her team at Boston University found not being able to see the food is also part of the problem. In this study often referred to as “The Red Plate Study“, the researchers found that eating from red plates and bowls can actually increase the Alzheimer’s patient’s appetite by as much as 25%! When it is difficult to keep weight on, a 25% can be significant increase that could make red your new favorite color.
Where to Find Helpful Dining Aids in Roswell, Georgia
Ready for discovering these and other dining aids that could help those suffering from memory loss, muscle deteroration, hand tremors, coordination reduction, or loss of appetite be able to look forward to more independence and a cofidence lift at meal time? If you live in the Roswell, Georgia or surrounding area, stop by our locally owned store and ask our trained team about these useful dining aids that can make a world of difference for you or your loved one.
Please note, we offer a complimentary curbside purchase process for those who are in a hurry or would like to avoid coming inside stores in an effort to stay safe from contracting potentially harmful viruses. Simply give us a call at (770) 425-7718 to place your order and then call us again when you arrive in the parking lot. We will bring out your purchase to your car and place it in the trunk or backseat.
At Northside Medical Supply, we care about your health and well-being. Stop by for a visit and browse our top brands or ask us a question. We’re here for you.
