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By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
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My mother is a diabetic on dialysis and was just diagnosed with severe dementia after having a major stroke and now has some trouble swallowing her medications. What kinds of foods/snacks will help her?
Thanks Reno55. The NYTimes New Old Age columnist Paula Span has just published an article about palliative care, so that's a great way to learn more about this important approach to care.
A speech therapist can evaluate her swallowing and make recommendations. A dietician may also be helpful, and pharmacy can advise re medication formulations that are easier to swallow.
But you may also want to get help stepping back and making a big picture plan for your mother. If she is on dialysis, has had a major stroke, and has severe dementia, it may or may not be the time to focus her medical care on maximizing her comfort and quality of life for whatever time she has left.
Generally when I work with families and we've decided to focus mainly on quality of life, we emphasize the older person eating the foods they enjoy the most. Could be milkshakes or ice cream; there are ways to make sure the blood sugar doesn't get out of hand or you can use lower-sugar formulations.
It's also often possible to reduce or eliminate medications at this stage.
This may or may not be right for you, but it's important to consider the overall big picture of her health and your options regarding what her medical care should focus on, before getting too caught up in tactics like how to get her to safely swallow certain medications.
I would recommend you consider a palliative care consultation. It's not the same as asking about hospice and it doesn't mean you are giving up. But palliative care clinicians are good at helping families make sense of a relative's overall prognosis, and they always have suggestions on how to relieve symptoms and maximize quality of life, regardless of whether the medical focus is on longevity or not.
Ask for a consult with a speach therapist. Paid for my medicare. I had one for my mom and she was extremely helpful and made some great suggestions. I had 3 different consults, depending on what condition mom was in, different suggestions were made each time. It was well worth the effort and I stopped second guessing myself. Good luck.
I had to get pills that I could crush for my mother and give them twice a day instead of once a day extended release pills. I make prune pudding and give her crushed pills in it 2x a day for her heart and BP and her happy pill. You can use yogurt but I like my Mom to keep up with her bm's. You cannot crush or open any capsules without asking the pharmacist because it can be VERY dangerous if they are "extended release" pills or meant to last the entire day. One that I can open is an amoxicillin 250mg capsule for her, other than that nothing. I use Thick-it from Walmart pharmacy (Order ahead) or order on amazon for my mom's drinks and I puree her foods. Always ask the pharmacist please.
Since dementia affects the mechanisms controlling muscles, those muscles are needed to swallow. Try thin liquids, but recognize there is no food or medication that will stop the ravages of dementia. Best wishes!
I would suggest the same methods given on this site to any one who has swallowing difficulties, if you do a search it has been covered numerous times. But realistically she is a diabetic, on dialysis, recovering from a severe stroke and unable to swallow... have you considered hospice??
My wife takes 4 pills in the AM and 2 in the PM. 2 are in capsules. These I cut open. The other 4 - I use a pill grinder I got at Rite Aid. I then put the pills in apple sauce (unsweetened). She looks forward to her apple sauce (with the pills mixed in).
HomeCareNutrition carries a variety of nectar or honey thickness liquids and foods. My dad is a stroke victim and we use the nectar thickened liquids to help him take his pills and when he eats his meals. Hormel provides free shipping. Other people use apple sauce.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
But you may also want to get help stepping back and making a big picture plan for your mother. If she is on dialysis, has had a major stroke, and has severe dementia, it may or may not be the time to focus her medical care on maximizing her comfort and quality of life for whatever time she has left.
Generally when I work with families and we've decided to focus mainly on quality of life, we emphasize the older person eating the foods they enjoy the most. Could be milkshakes or ice cream; there are ways to make sure the blood sugar doesn't get out of hand or you can use lower-sugar formulations.
It's also often possible to reduce or eliminate medications at this stage.
This may or may not be right for you, but it's important to consider the overall big picture of her health and your options regarding what her medical care should focus on, before getting too caught up in tactics like how to get her to safely swallow certain medications.
I would recommend you consider a palliative care consultation. It's not the same as asking about hospice and it doesn't mean you are giving up. But palliative care clinicians are good at helping families make sense of a relative's overall prognosis, and they always have suggestions on how to relieve symptoms and maximize quality of life, regardless of whether the medical focus is on longevity or not.
You can use yogurt but I like my Mom to keep up with her bm's.
You cannot crush or open any capsules without asking the pharmacist because it can be VERY dangerous if they are "extended release" pills or meant to last the entire day.
One that I can open is an amoxicillin 250mg capsule for her, other than that nothing.
I use Thick-it from Walmart pharmacy (Order ahead) or order on amazon for my mom's drinks and I puree her foods. Always ask the pharmacist please.
I do all the pill set up for her breakfast and her dinner period.
I then put the pills in apple sauce (unsweetened). She looks forward to her apple sauce (with the pills mixed in).