Eating Too Fast!

I had to slow my husband's eating, due to lack of impulse control he rushes to do EVERYTHING, including eating. When we fix him a standard size sandwich, we cut it into 16 small squares and put 6 inch hor d'oeuvre toothpicks in each one, so he only picks up one small bite at a time. Small, regular toothpicks didn't work, he put the whole thing in his mouth and nearly swallowed it.😯 It was also suggested that we use a smaller spoon, like you feed infants with.

@cjme Thank you! This is helpful info. It’s a concerning and new behavior here. I just don’t want her to inhale or choke. I continually tell her to take her time. But it’s like she’s ravenous. Then she’s full! Is this a part of dementia?

@gratia
Hello:
I believe the fast eating is a dementia symptom, anyway my husband eats very fast.
He is also coughing and gagging a lot after eating, so I fear he has dysphagia. He is scheduled for a swallow study.
I sit with him when I see that he's eating fast, and I told him about a tip I learned at Weight Watchers, to put your spoon or fork down between each bite to slow him down.
Small bites, eat slowly is our mantra these days.
Also, a Speech and Language Therapist mentioned bringing his food to him already cut up in small bites. I don't often remember to do that, but it's a great idea.

@judimahoney
Good Morning 🌞 Judi,
Yes, I’ve been reading that this is a common issue with dementia patients. I sit with my mom while she eats. If I walk out of the room, she might eat too fast. She has coughed a few times where she swallowed things the wrong way.
She doesn’t eat too many hard foods, so it’s mostly soup, and soft stuff, but I will definitely try to do smaller portions and cut things into pieces. I hope you’re having a good day. Sending you strength, peace love.❤️

Thanks for posting this. My hubby with MCI has a new behaviour that’s puzzled me. He can’t wait to start eating until we sit down. He fill his plate at the counter and starts eating on the way to the table. He does eat very fast now and it’s like he’s ravenous as well. I didn’t think it was part of the disease. He also has to act on an idea the minute it comes into his head.

I'm glad to know I'm not alone on this. My husband has started eating before I sit down so now I don't put anything on the table until I'm ready to eat. Even then, I'm not half done when he is finished. He just crams things in his mouth. I'll give him more grace now that I know it's a symptom.

Yes my husband needs constant reminders to slow down so he doesn’t choke.

@marketlink
My husband also acts like he's eating after being without rations for ages, when it's probably on the hour he wants to eat something.
This just happened: I dished him up and he started eating standing up. I suggested he sit down and eat in a more relaxed way.
When the gluttonous behavior first started occurring a few years ago, I thought maybe he was reverting to his childhood when he may have had to eat fast or hide food if he wanted a decent portion (due to multiple mouths to feed in a large family, and a very large older brother who may have taken more than his share).
My formerly lean and very health-conscious husband has left the building.
If I don't hide food now (just the sweets), he would just mindlessly eat. I try to practice portion control when he eats, so his growing waistline won't continue to grow.
Good luck out there, everyone!
🌻🌼🏵

My husband was diagnosed with/ vascular dementia 9 years ago. Last year he was te-evaluated & diagnosed with Alzheimer’s , Lewy Body. He had always been a fast eater, but became focused on getting his food in mouth as fast as he could about 2 years ago - choking etc…had swallowing test at that time & was diagnosed with silent aspiration. I continue to cut up sandwiches /food, using small utensils —he no longer responds to putting utensil down between bites— & he often goes for food on my plate (forgetting he’s eaten).
He’s had 4 hospitalizations in 2025 for silent aspiration pneumonitis.
It cannot be treated with antibiotics - origin of source is food bacteria in lungs. Last visit his lungs had to be drained of fluid. He came home from hospital w/hospice - full delirium unable to remember how to swallow…..fortunately he returned after 5 long weeks of delirium — with increased memory loss, but back to his sweet soul. Whew!
I’m still recovering as that was pretty stressful being his around the clock caregiver.

I’m hoping to read more comments - maybe learn other techniques to slow their eating down….
Thank you all for all your input, if anything to validate that I’m not only one learning how to navigate the journey of this disease. Diane

@gratia My husband has Huntington's Disease and impulse control is one of the symptoms and he thinks he has to do all activity immediately. It also contributes to falls, it's hard to keep him safe, most recently getting up before I could get the wheelchair footrest out of the way before standing. 😯Also his swallowing is affected for many physiological reasons so it's a double whammy when he eats, and chokes. I'm not sure how this all ties into Dementia, he is lucid most of the time. You might ask the neurologist about regions of the brain affected? I'm still trying to learn about this, but the more I know, the more I realize what I don't know (LOL.)