Follow
Share

Hello, My father has late-stage dementia and is currently experiencing a lot of difficulty with phelgm getting caught in his throat. We tried an electric suctioning machine, but he wouldn't tolerate it: he has very strong upper body strength still and tends to grab, close his mouth, etc. I was wondering, though, if I might have slightly better luck with a manual form of suctioning. Has anyone tried baby nasal aspirators or even turkey basters? (Or, ideally, something better?) Any recommendations would be gratefully received!!

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
In my mother this was a sign that she was nearing the end of her life; her dysphagia (swallowing dysfunction) had worsened and she was no longer automatically swallowing the saliva that we all produce..... I'm not sure there is any intervention that can prevent eventual aspiration at that point.
Scopolamine is not without unpleasant side effects so do your due diligence before you choose that option.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Please don't use a turkey baster on your father; you can easily wind up doing more harm than good b/c those things can have some pretty fierce suction & aren't intended to be put down a human's throat! If he's not tolerating an electric suctioning machine intended to be used for such a purpose, I'm sure he'd flip out over a turkey baster! :(

Like funkygrandma said, scopolamine patches tend to be a huge drying agent, so ask hospice about trying those instead.

Good luck!
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

When my husband was in his dying process, and had a lot of phlegm, hospice provided Scopolamine patches that I put behind both ears, and also Atropine drops that I put under his tongue to try and dry up the phlegm. I also used the electric suction machine, but as he was nearer to death, he didn't like that being used on him at all.
You may want to ask hospice about the patches and the drops.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

When my dad was on home hospice he had the same issue. Our nurses told us that suction devices primarily make the family feel better and do little to nothing for the patient. The secretions aren’t dangerous but do sound bad.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter