What can be used to thicken liquids?

[Selectamatic]

Hello,

A friend who is getting on in years is struggling with drinking liquids, he has being diagnosed with parkinsons, one of the symptoms is difficulty drinking, having to take tiny sips, his days of gulping liquids down are gone.

Local nurse has given him some liquid thickening powder, to mix in his drink, this turns the drink into more of a syrup, thus easier to swallow. Problem is, its as appetising as dishwater!!

Does anyone on here have a similar predicament, and how do you get around it?

 

[CFMF]

Ask his Parkinson's nurse if he can be referred to a Speech Therapist who can teach him exercises to help with drinking & swallowing.My husband is 90 yrs old & has Parkinsons,the exercises have helped him in as much that he does not choke as often.

 

[Man_in_black]

Has he tried the little sponges on a stick. Dip into drink then controlled sucking off sponge.

 

[Man_in_black]

Amazon.com: Disposable Oral Care Sponge Swabs(50pcs Pink): Health & Personal Care

Amazon.com: Disposable Oral Care Sponge Swabs(50pcs Pink): Health & Personal Care

www.amazon.com

 

[DartmoorEwe]

I am sorry to hear about your friend. I am yet to hear anything good about Parkinsons but we nurses do our best to help. There's thick and easy clear that is a little better than some but they are all variations on wall-paper-paste. How does friend get on with jelly or ice-cream (careful, when it melts its totally liquid so might aspirate), custard, yoghurt, mouse, soup, gravy, source, jam, rice pudding? These are no good if the only thing you want is a nice cup of tea. I've seen some people get on well with ice lollies and you can make them in any flavour. We struggle with this problem at work every day. I hope your friend finds something that works for them.

 

[DartmoorEwe]

so that's mousse not mouseor even moose they would really be quite hard to swallow even if they were thickened.

Edit - I've just noticed source too. Should be sauce.

 

[JCMaloney]

List of edible agents here:
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshe...rating_Flavors/16:_Types_of_Thickening_Agents