Aging Untold: What caregivers can do when dementia makes meals difficult

(Aging Untold) — On this episode of Aging Untold, we explore how dementia can make eating challenging for your loved one and offer practical strategies to help at mealtime. We discuss mental health support in later life and examine how moving past the stigma of therapy can promote healing at any age. Finally, we visit a lively coastal ukulele band in South Carolina, spreading joy, friendship and tropical tunes throughout their community. Why dementia makes it so hard to eat — and what caregivers can do Eating can become more difficult for someone with dementia as the disease progresses. It can disrupt the part of the brain that controls hunger, thirst and appetite signaling, Dr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician, said. And the process of getting food to the mouth is complex, requiring motor skills and sensory response. Gerontologist “Sam” Cradduck said families can make meals easier by serving finger foods and being flexible. Aging expert Amy O’Rourke added that caregivers shoul