The Thickened Liquid Challenge

Two San Francisco based palliative care physicians took to social media with a unique campaign: they challenged medical professionals to put themselves in their patients’ shoes….by drinking a cup of thickened liquids.

The effectiveness of a thickened liquid diet may be thin, but it’s commonly prescribed to Alzheimer’s and stroke patients who have difficulty swallowing. More than awareness and donations for geriatrics and palliative care charities, the thickened liquid challenge has started an important conversation among medical professionals.

About The Author

Lucy Lopez

Lucy Lopez has worked as a television news reporter and anchor for more than 15 years. Most recently she was a reporter with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto. An experienced journalist who has worked both sides of the camera, Lucy produces, shoots and edits for television, radio and web.

Making Sense of Alzheimer’s is a creative space for people to understand the past, present and future of Alzheimer’s disease. It is an evolving forum, a gallery of ideas, a museum without walls.

Making Sense of Alzheimer’s features stories and ideas that tackle the many and changing understanding of what Alzheimer’s disease is and how we try to make sense of it in our own lives. The voices of patients, scientists, writers, caregivers, students, singers, doctors, and artists are expressed here through words, images and sounds.

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