Hello fellow home-caregivers. I have been using thick-it for my Mom and I hate it . Sometimes its too thin, then too thick, etc. If she doesnt finish her drink it turns to cement and adds to her constipation issues that I take care of on a daily bsis. I got simply thick and it was extremely slippery even after shaking it, and they had a recall on it for babies. I tried corn starch and it tasted horrible after adding as much as I needed. I had the same luck with thicken up, needed way too much and it was all lumps that I couldnt get out every time. I had a speech therapist here over a year ago and she had no better ideas other than to not use a straw and watch for swallows with each sip, as I do. I seem to have more coughing/choking episodes now and wondered if there was anything better out there. I cussinart all of her food, chef boy ardee cans of meals as the speech therapist recommended and they work well, along with soft french toast I make for her with only real syrup, and fruits I cussinart and freeze up. She does well eating this way and I also melt ice cream onto a warm muffin and smush up, she loves that and raises her eyebrows, lol.
Any ideas well appreciated and thank you.
You can also use chia seeds in the same way. You can make a chia seed pudding because they also thicken up when liquid is added, similar to jello. You'd have to get chia seeds at a health foods store, or Whole Foods or Trader Joe's or online. I like the flavor of both of these items (kind of nutty) and they're both natural foods that would be good for your mom. Vegetarians like me eat both regularly (and are regular as a result). :)
There are pre-mixed juices, milk etc. available, that are already of a certain thickness and won't get any thicker. But this will probably cost.