A descriptive analysis of the process of eating in elderly people with dementia

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to describe the functions related to eating and swallowing in elderly people with dementia, detecting the prevalence of abnormalities. 16 patients between 70 and 91 years of age were evaluated. Only patients diagnosed as demented by their doctors were included. We observed that most of evaluated elderly people presented problems while eating or in activities linked to it, as cooking, self-feeding tasks and mouth cleanness. Most of them depended on a caregiver’s assistance. We concluded that elderly people with dementia need a periodical follow-up carried out by a speech pathologist, in order to reduce their incapacity related to eating and potential problems associated with it (dehydration, mal-nutrition and others.