Mealtime Experiences of Families With Dementia

Abstract

Twenty-three family caregivers participated in interviews to provide their perspectives on mealtimes when caring for someone with dementia (probable Alzheimer's disease, n = 14; senile dementia, n = 2; mixed dementia, n = 2; frontal temporal lobe dementia, n = 3; and Parkinson-related dementia, n = 1). Qualitative analyses described eating conduct changes and strategies to make mealtimes manageable. They also identified that mealtimes provided a social connection for families, although simplification of meals was required. Additionally, pleasure from food consumed was important, although tension existed around providing nutritious meals. Sometimes, caregivers compromised or "gave in"; at other times they needed to "step in" to promote a successful meal. The many changes noted around meals signaled the changing status of their family member. This study provides important insight into the challenges and benefits of mealtimes for those living with dementia in the community.

Impact of Dementia Progression on Food-Related Processes

“…4 Food, and in particular mealtimes, have been described as important for those coping with dementia and their caregivers, as these occasions create connections and memories with others. 5 To date, there is relatively little understanding of how dementia affects the meaning and experience of mealtimes for persons living with dementia or their informal caregivers (i.e., family, friends, and neighbors). 6 It is particularly important to assess informal carers and how they manage with dementia and food, as there is a heavy dependence on informal caregivers, with more than twice as many informal carers as formal carers (ie, health professionals, such as nurses or care assistants).…”

To Be a Good Food Provider: An Exploratory Study Among Spouses of Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease

“…The need to extend and shift responsibility for everyday food work was a common experience to which caregivers had to adjust, and this has also been seen in other studies. 3 Taking over and assuming another role in relation to food was not a task the spouses in the current study were prepared for, yet they did their best to adjust. The role of carer, about which all participants expressed their concerns, included seeing food as an important part of disease treatment.…”

“…1,2 The daily life of people with dementia is therefore affected in many ways in relation to food-related work, such as shopping for food and preparing, cooking and serving food. [3][4][5][6] Thus, the disease affects not only the patients, but also their relatives, many of whom are involved in informal care. The responsibility for the everyday food work, which includes shopping, planning meals, preparing, cooking, and serving food, has traditionally been women's responsibility.…”

Measuring outcomes in Parkinson’s disease: a multi-perspective concept mapping study

“…They had been working clinically for a mean of 16 (range, 1-35) years, and with PD for a mean of 12 (range, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] years. Five of these participants had also taken part in the focus groups.…”

“…Qualitative studies have primarily targeted specific aspects of the disease (e.g., coping strategies [8], difficulties in performing daily activities [9], swallowing [10][11][12], breathing [11], and communicating [13]) rather than overall impact. However, these studies have identified aspects such as complications of therapy, postural problems, mobility, fatigue, eating difficulties, and impaired communication to have a negative impact on daily activities, social interaction and wellbeing [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”