Take One Bite at a Time: A Multifaceted Approach to Enhance Dining with Dementia

Learners will gain an understanding of how dementia affects intake and discover ways to help patients increase hydration and nutrition who are suffering with dementia.

Certified for RNs, LVNs, SWs, CCMs, ACMs, LPCs, PTs, PTAs, OTs, OTAs, SLPs and AUDs in Texas
Certified for RNs, LVNs, CCMs, and ACMs in all states
Content Level: Advanced

About the authors:
Emily Briggs, OTR/L

Emily is a nationally certified, Texas licensed Occupational Therapist with over 20 years of experience in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, independent living, memory care, and home health. Her experience has ranged from staff therapist to single-site director of rehabilitation to multi-site clinical program management. Over the years, she has mentored and trained therapists of all disciplines, other healthcare professionals, and family members on best care practices, clinical programming, and regulatory requirements. Emily is a Certified Independent Trainer with Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care. She loves teaching and mentoring individuals and groups with a focus on empowering them to care WITH those living with dementia.

Laurie Walther, MS, CCC-SLP

Laurie is an ASHA certified, Texas licensed Speech Language Pathologist with over 26 years of experience primarily in the Skilled Nursing setting. Laurie is a Certified Independent Trainer with Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care. She has served as a mentor and leader to her partners, corporate members, staff clinicians, families and caregivers, and patients and residents. She has created many clinical, educational and operational programs that have been carried out at the community level, corporate wide, nationally and internationally. Laurie has been a staff clinician, clinical leader, director of rehab, regional director, and senior vice president. She loves teaching, mentoring and leading individuals to maximize their best to support those we serve.

Objectives:

• Differentiate typical vs. atypical aging as it relates to eating, drinking, and intake.
• Analyze how nutrition and hydration play a role in aging well.
• Discuss internal and external factors to enhance dining, eating, and drinking for the dementia patient experiencing progressive brain changes.
• Apply and understand the role of healthcare professionals as part of an Interdisciplinary Team in increasing intake for the dementia patient.

Course Outline:
1) Learning outcomes and introduction
2) Discuss typical vs. atypical aging
3) Explore the vitality of hydration and nutrition along with the causes, symptoms and prevention methods of dehydration and malnutrition
4) Analyze progressive brain changes that occur with dementia, including its effects on swallowing, feeding, communication, comprehension and object identification
5) Discover ways to help the dementia patient through a patient-centered care approach while utilizing various tools to assist with intake.
6) Conclusion

This course is in a written format, and your certificate will be available for download immediately after successful completion of the post-test and evaluation. A score of 80% or greater is required to pass, and you may re-take the post-test if needed.

Nurses – HIS Cornerstone is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by Louisiana State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. LSNA Provider No. 4002094. (Expires 7/30/227)
Social Workers and LPCs: Meets the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council’s CE criteria for 1.0 contact hour.
Physical Therapists/PTAs: This activity has been approved by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 1.00 CCUs for PTs and PTAs. (Expires 9/4/2026)
Occupational Therapists/OTAs: The TOTA Continuing Education Review Committee has approved this course for the following continuing education units (CEUs): 1 contact hour / 1.0 CEUs of OT Education.  (Expires 9/4/2025)
Speech-Language Pathologists/Audiologists: This program has been approved for 1 clock hours of continuing education credit by the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA). TSHA continuing education hours can be used toward renewal of your Texas license and as professional development activities for the maintenance of your ASHA Certificate of Clinical competence (CCC). (Expires 9/3/2025)
ACMA and CCMC Case Managers: This program fits the description of an ACMA approved CE because it has been awarded contact hour(s) by H.I.S. Cornerstone, a provider of nursing continuing professional development by Louisiana State Nurses Association. As of July 1, 2020 CCMC recognizes ACMA’s continuing education offerings to meet the requirements of the Certified Case Manager (CCM) credential. This is NOT a CCMC-approved ethics CE.