Guest Column: Down The Memory Lane..

Volume 5 Issue 11 November 2015

Food as therapy… An eye opener

I recollect vividly a 72 year old male patient, admitted and treated for advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Main problem was his episodic bursts of extreme anger and agitation which was reported on and off in the hospital and earlier at home. Otherwise he was reasonably manageable. Investigations revealed including EEG no major findings
apart from related to Alzheimer’s disease.

While in the hospital one day afternoon he was again unmanageable and I personally attended the call which was an eye opener. Relatives had mutton curry, the smell of which made him to demand the same while relatives were refusing him fearing ‘increased lipids’. Even at home often his anger and agitation were related to ‘non-veg’
preparations at home but not being served to him. The suggestion that let him have the same made him happy, docile and manageable then and there and even after discharge and follow up.

Patient taught me a lesson that managing chronic degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s involves much more than what is learnt in text books and journals. The Quality of Life demands that basic needs cannot be over looked and ‘increased lipids’ should not prevent eating what he likes. Best is to yield to his reasonable demands and make relatives understand the same. What is needed is flexibility on our part as therapists and concern for his needs!