Module 4 Lesson 1. Eating and drinking - more pleasant mealtimes Promoting a good mealtime atmosphere Mealtime is a good opportunity for carers to show their care and support for the person living with dementia. An enjoyable mealtime atmosphere may help encourage them to eat and drink. Let’s look at an example again. Spilling food Sahib has Alzheimer’s disease and lives with his oldest son since his wife passed away a year ago. The family now has four generations who eat together at the table. Sahib sees the mealtime as the best time of the day. Recently, Sahib’s hands have started to tremble and he often spills or drops food on the table and the floor. Check your understandingPromoting a good mealtime atmosphere. How would you advise Sahib’s son to deal with this situation? Please check the responses that you feel are appropriate. Organize a family meeting to ask all family members to think of more positive and constructive ways to respond to the situation at mealtimes.Set up a separate table for his father to eat in his own bedroom, because spilling and dropping food may make the family irritated.Buy adaptive eating and drinking aids from the shop for Sahib.Check Organise a family meeting to ask all family members to think of more positive and constructive ways to respond to the situation at mealtimes. This is a good response because Sahib’s son is trying to provide a positive mealtime atmosphere for everyone. Set up a separate table for his father to eat in his own bedroom, because spilling and dropping food may make the family irritated. This is not helpful because separation will make Sahib feel sad or angry, which might prevent him from eating and drinking properly. Buy adaptive eating and drinking aids from the shop for Sahib. This is a good response because Sahib’s son recognises that his father is no longer able to manage eating and drinking using the usual utensils. By providing other utensils he is trying to solve this problem. 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.