Dementia & Eating/Drinking

**Dementia & Eating/Drinking: When appetite, memory and routine falter** is a practical and compassionate guide for family carers, partners, and loved ones who are struggling with one of the most stressful parts of dementia care: meals and fluid intake. When a person with dementia forgets to eat, refuses food, ignores drinks, develops swallowing difficulties, or becomes overwhelmed at the table, everyday life can quickly turn into a cycle of worry, pressure, and exhaustion. This book helps readers understand why eating and drinking so often become difficult in dementia and shows how to respond with more calm, structure, and confidence. Rather than offering dry theory, the book focuses on clear, usable help for real life at home. It explains the neurological reasons behind appetite loss, sensory overload, changes in taste and smell, motor difficulties, and swallowing problems. It also shows carers how to recognise serious warning signs such as dehydration, weight loss, malnutrition, and aspiration risk before they become emergencies. At the same time, it offers practical strategies for making meals safer and less stressful: fixed routines, familiar foods, small portions, finger food, simpler choices, supportive language, and effective ways to encourage drinking without constant pressure. The guide also covers sweets cravings, food obsessions, medication-related eating problems, meals away from home, organising outside support, and knowing when professional help is urgently needed. A structured 10-day plan helps readers stabilise eating and drinking step by step and bring more safety, dignity, and peace back into everyday care. This book is for anyone who wants to better understand the “language” of dementia at the table and create a calmer, more manageable daily routine for everyone involved.