I can tell you from experience with my mom that they just do this due to the texture of the food etc. I have been told that Alzhiemer's makes them forget to swallow as well. My mother will chew and chew and chew and then spit out the food, and it does not matter the consistency or texture of the food either.
What I have started doing about this problem, since reminding and insisting for her to swallow usually does not work very well. I purchased a Vitamix blender and now I make her "whole fruit and veggie" smoothies, as well as, hot soups and frozen icecream. This way she can actually drink the fruits and veggies and is getting the "raw" nutrients. She doesn't like certain foods, but by using this blender I can add in those "good for you" foods that she would not other wise eat.
When I make the hot soup in the vitamix, I add in meats and protein powder to keep her meals balanced. The vitamix has made the world of difference in the way that she consumes food, as well as, the way that her body uses the nutrients. Her hemoglobin has been every month in the low 8.0-9.0 range, but after starting the "whole foods/raw foods" it is now in the 11.0 range. The cool thing about this kitchen machine, is that it does so many things and allows me to actually get good nutritious foods into my mom without her spitting the foods back out.
I hope that this helps out with the issue of chewing and not swallowing thier foods.
Your mother might be afraid she will gag. Try a blender and get her a straw. You do not state what stage of Alzheimer's she is in, but eating and swallowing will become more and more difficult. Make sure you have all your legal documents in place (living Trust, Will, Healthcare Power of Attorney, Mental Health Power of Attorney).
It has been my experience as a special ed teacher who works with young children with neurological problems, including feeding problems, that help with swallowing problems is usually provided by speech therapists although I have seen some (not as many) occupational therapists who are trained to do feeding evaluations and feeding therapy. I have never seen feeding therapy done by PTs, either in my work or when my husband was having swallowing problems when he was in the hospital. It might be a good idea to have have a speech therapist do a feeding assessment and see what he or she recommends.
They do get a lot of nutrients in the "juice" which they swallow this way. He might just prefer this. Some people put food in a juicer for a similar result.
What I have started doing about this problem, since reminding and insisting for her to swallow usually does not work very well. I purchased a Vitamix blender and now I make her "whole fruit and veggie" smoothies, as well as, hot soups and frozen icecream. This way she can actually drink the fruits and veggies and is getting the "raw" nutrients. She doesn't like certain foods, but by using this blender I can add in those "good for you" foods that she would not other wise eat.
When I make the hot soup in the vitamix, I add in meats and protein powder to keep her meals balanced. The vitamix has made the world of difference in the way that she consumes food, as well as, the way that her body uses the nutrients. Her hemoglobin has been every month in the low 8.0-9.0 range, but after starting the "whole foods/raw foods" it is now in the 11.0 range. The cool thing about this kitchen machine, is that it does so many things and allows me to actually get good nutritious foods into my mom without her spitting the foods back out.
I hope that this helps out with the issue of chewing and not swallowing thier foods.
God bless!
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