Researchers are developing a high-tech spoon to help combat eating and drinking difficulties in people with dementia.
Known as Tasty Spoon, the device uses electrostimulation to improve the taste of food in patients experiencing taste loss.
People with dementia often have trouble eating and drinking due to symptoms such as memory loss, inability to recognize food, and a decreased sense of smell and taste.
This can cause patients to lose weight and muscle strength and lead to malnutrition.
The Tasty Spoon refillable spoon looks like a traditional spoon but can help users differentiate between types of food, according to researchers.
The Tasty Spoon, pictured, uses electrostimulation to improve the taste of food for patients experiencing taste loss.
It works by sending gentle electrical currents to the tongue that reactivate taste buds and allow people with dementia to recognize specific flavors again.
Its development is being led by Dr Christian Morgner from the University of Sheffield’s School of Management and the Healthy Lifespan Institute.
He said: ‘Loss of taste can take away the enjoyment of food, affecting the patient’s wellbeing as food plays an important role in our lives.
‘This is especially common in patients who live alone or in public residences with more generalized nutrition.
‘In a candid revelation, one person shared that he has only eaten toast for the past five years as for him there is no difference between toast and a normal Sunday roast.’
Dr Morgner said the Tasty Spoon could also save the NHS money.
She added: “The development of a technological aid such as Tasty Spoon has the potential to rekindle the pleasure of eating for those facing taste-related challenges and therefore contribute to better health and mitigate the expense of treating the side effects of poor nutrition for the NHS.”
It works by sending gentle electrical currents to the tongue which reactivate taste buds and allow dementia sufferers to recognise specific flavours again. Its development is being led by Dr Christian Morgner, from the University of Sheffield’s School of Management and the Healthy Lifespan Institute.
There are approximately 944,000 people in the UK living with dementia, with one in 11 people over the age of 65 having the condition.
According to the NHS, the total could exceed one million people by 2030.
The Tasty Spoon project has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Society Accelerator Programme, which supports the commercialisation of new products to help people living with dementia.
Simon Lord, director of innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘A healthy, balanced diet can help improve a person’s quality of life.
‘However, common symptoms of dementia, such as memory loss and difficulties with thinking and problem solving, can make it harder to eat and drink well.
‘That’s why we’re excited about the potential that Tasty Spoon represents to enhance the taste and enjoyment of food, and consequently improve the health and nutrition of people living with dementia.
‘Innovations like this are vital because they focus on enriching daily experiences and improving health and well-being.
‘Tasty Spoon is a unique product and we’re eager to help get it into the hands of people living with dementia.’
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of neurological disorders.
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking, and behavior.
There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.
Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.
Dementia is a global concern, but it is most commonly seen in wealthier countries, where people are more likely to live to a very old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this figure is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 50 to 75 percent of people diagnosed.
In the United States, it is estimated that there are 5.5 million people suffering from Alzheimer’s and that percentage is expected to increase in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of developing dementia.
Diagnosis rates are improving, but many people with dementia are still thought to be undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new drugs can slow its progression, and the earlier it is detected, the more effective the treatments can be.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society