Module 4 Lesson 2. Eating, drinking and preventing health problems Preventing aspiration pneumonia If the person is in the late stages of dementia, they may experience swallowing difficulties that can cause a lung infection called aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food is swallowed in the wrong way and goes into the person’s lungs instead of their stomach. This can then cause an infection. Eating, drinking and feeding methods may need to be modified to prevent this life-threatening problem. Let’s look at an example Lu has been living with dementia for 10 years and is bedridden. Her husband, Wei, helps her to eat safely. Recently, he found Lu has difficulty swallowing soft foods that he makes for her. He also notices that she coughs when she drinks something. She seems to have a high temperature and is admitted to the hospital. Lu is diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia. After a month of treatment in the hospital, Lu has recovered and is discharged home. The doctor orders a healthy, soft diet and thickened drinks for Lu to consume at home to prevent future aspiration pneumonia. 3. Check your understandingHelping a person to eat safely. What do you think Wei should do? Please select all the responses that you feel are appropriate. Not pay attention to how Lu is sitting when he helps her eat.Learn how to make healthy, soft foods and thickened drinks for Lu.Check Not pay attention to how Lu is sitting when they are helping her eat. This is not a good response. They should sit Lu in an upright position which will help her eat and drink better and prevent aspiration pneumonia. Learn how to make healthy, soft food and thickened drinks for Lu. This is a good response. Providing healthy, soft food and thickened drinks will make it easier for people in the late stage of dementia to continue to eat and drink on their own and maintain a healthy weight. Error: Please select at least one option.Please click ‘check’ to view the answers before continuing.Error: Please type your answers in the text box. Tip Speak to your GP if the person with dementia is having swallowing problems. They may refer you to a speech and language therapist, who manage swallowing problems in people with dementia. A healthy soft diet can be made by hand without using an electric blender. Thickened fluids can be made by adding corn flour to water or other fluids while heating and stirring it, until it thickens. Note: commercial stir-in thickeners are available in the supermarket.