What can be done for an Alzheimer's patient who has frequent hiccups?

Hiccoughs are caused by either the phrenic or vagus nerves - or both - being irritated. If the bouts are occasional, short in duration and do not interfere with eating or breathing - do nothing. If the bouts interfere with breathing, eating or last all day, please get this person to the ER for evaluation and treatment. Medications to treat hiccoughs are available with prescription from a doctor.

Years ago I was in the office and got hiccups- a lady/my friend - wise and of a wise age told me to put white sugar on the tip of my tongue. I was a teenager at the time and found it hysterical
she didn’t get angry just said try it and I did and my hiccups stoped immediately. I put it diwn to my giggling fit but any time I ever got hiccups I did this - little white sugar in my hand and dipped my tongue into it Years later I was that person telling a younger person and as I did they laughed away
tried it and it suddenly coincidence stopped
so we aren’t talking eat sugar -just a small pinch tip of tongue.
i found it easier to put a little into my hand and dip my tongue in it
so good luck and as long as your mother isn’t diabetic wish you well with it
x

jvogler: Pose your question to the individual's physician.

I spent the day in the ER with my husband yesterday due to 24 hours of hiccups and a couple of bouts of stopping breathing. It was very scary. He is 67, no dementia. However what they gave him to stop the hiccups was
600mg of Gabapentin and it worked. Apparently it is an alternate use for the medication.

Speak with his doctor about this, especially since it is affecting his quality of life. There are multiple medical reasons, and his doctor can help.

My friends GF died at an early age of hiccups. He had two young sons, one her father. I do a bit of genealogy and I saw his death certificate and there it was on his death certificate listed under cause of death. Hiccups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG3UFHR1o48

This is a very short video of a breathing method by Andrew Huberman. He is a Stanford professor.

if the link doesn’t work Google YouTube Andrew Huberman hiccups

I realize you probably won’t be able to get him to follow these instructions but it might help a medical provider.

Here is another video. This one showing how to do acupressure. It is from M D Anderson cancer hospital. Google these words.

youtube md anderson hiccups

I hope he finds relief.

My late husband who had vascular dementia would frequently get very annoying hiccups, and they would go for sometimes an hour or more. And they appeared to often be painful as well.
I think I tried just about everything thanks to Google(other than medication)to help stop them for him, but I think if I remember correctly what worked best for him was to take a small spoon full of sugar and place it under his tongue, and let it slowly dissolve. But even that was hit or miss.
He even had very loud hiccups when he was well into his actively dying stage, which was hard to witness because I couldn't do anything to stop them.
I wish you well in finding something that may help this man.

From Google:

Frequent hiccups can be a symptom of an underlying condition in people with Alzheimer's disease, and can be caused by a number of things, including:

Aspiration pneumonia: In rare cases, persistent hiccups can be the only symptom of aspiration pneumonia. Other symptoms include cough, fever, and dyspnea. 

Medications: Some medications, such as clozapine, can cause persistent hiccups in people with Alzheimer's. 

Central nervous system problems: These can be caused by stroke, infections, cancer, or injury. 

Hiccups that last more than 48 hours are considered persistent or intractable hiccups. They can cause a number of problems, including:
Difficulty eating, drinking, and speaking, Insomnia, Pain, Fatigue, Depression, Malnutrition, and Dehydration. 

Treatment for hiccups often involves a combination of pharmacologic treatment and alternative therapies. Some options include: 

Amantadine: A nonsedating dopamine agonist that may be an option for patients who can't tolerate sedating agents 

Acupuncture: An alternative therapy that may be helpful for older patients 

To cope with chronic hiccups, you can try:
Getting enough rest
Taking naps during the day
Avoiding hot, spicy foods and fizzy drinks
Drinking small amounts of water throughout the day
Taking small mouthfuls and chewing food thoroughly before swallowing 

My suggestion is getting this man to the ER stat.

There is a condition called intractable hiccups. It may be worth asking his doctor if this might be going on