Determination of oral feeding capacity of elderly individuals with dementia receiving tube feeding and development of care skills

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In the present report, we describe the development of a guideline for determining the oral feeding capacity of elderly individuals with dementia. In 2006, we identified factors leading to tube feeding among elderly individuals with dementia. In 2007 and 2008, we investigated criteria for determining the oral feeding capacity of elderly individuals with dementia who have eating or swallowing disorders, and clarified the care skills enabling these individuals to maintain or resume oral feeding. We then developed a guideline based on the collected data. In 2009, we applied the guideline to elderly individuals with dementia who were receiving or were likely to receive tube feeding, and investigated the effectiveness of the guideline.