Скачать или смотреть Eating and Drinking changes near end of life

Many people near end of life eat less and have decreased appetite
Some people experience changes to their tastes
People may lose weight
Make what you do eat, count (eat calorie-rich food)
There are lots of types of supplements, if you don’t like one type, try another
Tempt with small, frequent meals
It’s okay to use ready-made foods
Offer favourite foods
Eat in an environment that is inviting, for example, eat with others, eat outside
Keep hydrated – drink plenty of water.

When people approach the end of life they usually eat less and have less of an appetite. They may also have changes to their tastes. They can lose weight. These changes are a usual part of the process but you can make some small changes to the foods they eat and the way food is presented to help them remain well nourished.

Appetite – Offer small, frequent meals. Relax expectations about what should be eaten and when. Allow the person to choose his or her favourite foods and eat them when they want to. Eat in a pleasant and inviting environment – for example, eat with others, eat outside with a pleasant view.

Food fortification – Use high calorie foods as much as possible, for example, use plenty of cream, milk, cheese, yoghurt, nuts, butter and margarine.

Supplements – There are lots of types of supplements – keep trying them until you find one that suits best. Use supplements between meals as snacks. Try not to use them too close to meal time otherwise they might fill up the person so that he or she loses appetite for the meal. Supplements may be juice-based like these or milk-based . They also come in powder form, either flavoured or unflavoured . Powders can be added to porridge, soup, custard, or fluids

Thickened fluids and textured meals – Sometimes food may need to be pureed to help a person to swallow it more easily. Pureed food can be made more attractive by adding a variety of colours to the plate.

Drinking – keep sipping fluids to keep up good hydration. Getting dehydrated can make a person feel unwell, can create headaches, and can contribute to constipation. Make sure the person always has a drink on hand.
Make it easy – you do not have to spend a lot of time preparing meals – use ready-made foods from the supermarket, such as custard.

Central Grampians Palliative Care
http://eghs.net.au/services/ararat/pa...

Grampians Region Palliative Care Consortium http://grampianspalliativecare.com.au