Final answer:
Nursing Assistants can aid residents with Alzheimer's by providing easy-to-handle finger foods and emphasizing portion control. This aids in the resident's dietary management and enhances their dining experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
One way for a NA (Nursing Assistant) to help a resident with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) with eating is to provide finger foods that are easy to pick up. This approach helps residents maintain independence and can make eating a more manageable and less frustrating process. It's important not to encourage residents to eat quickly as this can lead to choking and doesn't support a healthy eating environment. Likewise, serving large portions may be overwhelming and contribute to waste, while leaving the resident alone while eating can be dangerous and negate necessary social interaction during mealtimes.
Keeping in mind good nutritional practices such as practicing portion control can also help in providing the right amount of food, which is particularly important given that serving sizes are often smaller than perceived. Nutritional labels and guidelines can assist in ensuring residents are receiving meals that are in accord with the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA).