Special situations

<strong>How to act when your family member refuses to meat or drink?</strong>

  • Understand the reasons for refusal
  • Have a break.
  • Find ways to distract your family member
  • Do not insist, pressure or force
  • Speak in a calm way to your family member
  • Ask for professional help, if needed

Support strategies

Is there any assistive equipment to help enhance the family member autonomy when feeding? Which assist device? How to use them? Where to buy them?

  • The following images show some examples of assistive equipment that can meet some of the needs of your family member according to the level of dependence.
  • Cutlery adapters, non-slip plate base, adapted cup, a utensil for opening bottles/cans or partitioned scoop plates are some of the available utensils.
  • Your nurse can instruct you on how to teach your family member to use these utensils.
  • These items may be purchased in some drug stores or health/orthopaedic items stores, in company selling materials and in technical assistance.

COPOCOM2ASAS

adapted cup

raised rim plate

TABUAALIMEN

board to prepare food

cutlery with hand strap

TALHERES ANGULARES

angled and swivel cutlery

The presence of vomiting, productive cough or changes in breathing, combined with increased sputum and shortness of breath, or a change in consciousness (e.g. your family member becomes more sleepy, less reactive…) are contraindications for feeding by mouth.

If you notice any of these changes, you should contact the Portuguese Health Assistance (Linha Saúde 24) or a nurse or doctor at the Family Health Unit (USF) from your community area. 

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