winsome1, please read my answer above, from December of 2012.
In your description I'd say the critical thing to do is get Mother sitting up straight in a chair before eating would be best. At the very least, have her sit upright in bed and prop her with pillows. Trying to eat lying down is really inviting trouble.Has a doctor or speech pathologist talked to you about eating practices to minimize food going into the lungs?
I have been caregiving my mother formore than 5 years whilst working. It was very challenging as my mum cannot walk since 2010 after her urine infiection complications. We need tolift, carry , feed wash forher . I t was quite challenign to caregive as well as to work . Now she has developed aspirational pneumonia. How do you do for her not to choke whilst eating. Everything is pureed and she eats in bed whilst lying down as she falls a sleep whilst feeding. How should Ihandle this situation. Anything I ned toknow to prevent from getting aspiration pneumonia.
The person should be sitting upright -- not laid back a little in a recliner, or slumped sitting in bed.
In some situations a double-swallow after each bite is useful.
Swallowing with the chin tucked can help in some cases.
For some people drinking through a straw increases risk, especially if they keep sucking the liquid in without pause between swallows or they have the straw deep into the mouth so that the liquid run down the throat immediately. (My husband did best with a straw and choked more from a glass, but that is something to observe and consider.)
Thickening liquids can be useful, to slow down their passage through the throat. Avoid foods that are troublesome. My husband couldn't eat popcorn; soup with thin broth and chunks of vegetables was far more troublesome than a thick creamy soup. Fruit skins were a problem. We did not chop or puree all foods, but we did learn which foods were most likely to cause problems and avoided them.
After a swallowing test a speech therapist can provide specific advice based on the type of problem observed. They can also instruct in some mouth and throat exercises to help maintain strength there.
To maintain a healthy lung system and to help with the constriction of the throat, contact a reflexologist to work on your Dad's feet and hands. The reflexologist can teach you how to do this. Also a good chiropractor can assist with balancing the entire body to help heal the throat and lungs.
For me the best has been to sit with my dad and make sure he doesn't try to keep putting more food or liquid in before his throat has relaxed from coughing. Make sure your loved one has had the pneumonia vaccine. There is a product called Luigi's Lemon Ice which does wonder on throats and when he was at his worst he was taking a bite of that between other bites. The cold with the lemon taste work chemical magic my speech therapist says ....she also highly recommends Diet Ginger Ale for similar reasons. I now grind all meats and try to keep a relatively soft diet for him.....but the real trick is to slow him down and take tiny bites.
In your description I'd say the critical thing to do is get Mother sitting up straight in a chair before eating would be best. At the very least, have her sit upright in bed and prop her with pillows. Trying to eat lying down is really inviting trouble.Has a doctor or speech pathologist talked to you about eating practices to minimize food going into the lungs?
In some situations a double-swallow after each bite is useful.
Swallowing with the chin tucked can help in some cases.
For some people drinking through a straw increases risk, especially if they keep sucking the liquid in without pause between swallows or they have the straw deep into the mouth so that the liquid run down the throat immediately. (My husband did best with a straw and choked more from a glass, but that is something to observe and consider.)
Thickening liquids can be useful, to slow down their passage through the throat. Avoid foods that are troublesome. My husband couldn't eat popcorn; soup with thin broth and chunks of vegetables was far more troublesome than a thick creamy soup. Fruit skins were a problem. We did not chop or puree all foods, but we did learn which foods were most likely to cause problems and avoided them.
After a swallowing test a speech therapist can provide specific advice based on the type of problem observed. They can also instruct in some mouth and throat exercises to help maintain strength there.
Good luck in minimizing the risk.