Making The Most Of Mealtime: Helping Older Adults Compensate For Sensory Impairment During Meals

Course overview

Older adults and people with dementia experience a variety of sensory changes that affect their diet and ability to function independently during meals. Swallowing dysfunction that results from aging or dementia can be exacerbated by environmental barriers such as inadequate lighting, noisy conditions, poor or absent environmental cues, and visual clutter. This course will address solutions for these environmental barriers as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for older adults with dysphagia and dementia. Examples for research on the physical and social environment will be shared.