Hi
What experience has other members had when pwd stops eating?
Can it be sudden from one day to next?
What experience has other members had when pwd stops eating?
Can it be sudden from one day to next?
Hi
What experience has other members had when pwd stops eating?
Can it be sudden from one day to next?
My dad will not eat unless I put it on the plate for him. I no longer ask him what or whether he would like to eat, I just do it for him.
Breakfast time I give dad his ensure which he drinks and half an hour later I make him a scrambled egg with butter and cream. I give it to him on a tray and he always says he is not hungry and can only eat one bite. I just say that's fine 'one bite will do' He always finishes it all. Tea time I will sometimes give him cold soup in a glass disguised as a drink and he drinks it or I may do him the tiniest shepherds pie served on a saucer with a bit of gravy, same story 'I can't eat all of that' but he does.
As long as it is very small he will eat it but I have given up with the coaxing and cajoling as it is very wearing and as long as he eats something I am happy. I have accepted that he is never going to eat normally again.
What is worrying though is that he has stopped drinking the ensure. He would get through on average eight shakes a day but he has now decided that they are a bit sickly and is only drinking three or four a day now. These are what have been providing him with calories up until now.
I am substituting with decent ice cream topped up with some more cream on top as that always goes down well.
His cholesterol will not be good but I don't know what else to do, I can't allow him to starve. As far as I am concerned any calorie is a good calorie at the moment and if he eats it then he can have it.
My dad will not eat unless I put it on the plate for him. I no longer ask him what or whether he would like to eat, I just do it for him.
Breakfast time I give dad his ensure which he drinks and half an hour later I make him a scrambled egg with butter and cream. I give it to him on a tray and he always says he is not hungry and can only eat one bite. I just say that's fine 'one bite will do' He always finishes it all. Tea time I will sometimes give him cold soup in a glass disguised as a drink and he drinks it or I may do him the tiniest shepherds pie served on a saucer with a bit of gravy, same story 'I can't eat all of that' but he does.
As long as it is very small he will eat it but I have given up with the coaxing and cajoling as it is very wearing and as long as he eats something I am happy. I have accepted that he is never going to eat normally again.
What is worrying though is that he has stopped drinking the ensure. He would get through on average eight shakes a day but he has now decided that they are a bit sickly and is only drinking three or four a day now. These are what have been providing him with calories up until now.
I am substituting with decent ice cream topped up with some more cream on top as that always goes down well.
His cholesterol will not be good but I don't know what else to do, I can't allow him to starve. As far as I am concerned any calorie is a good calorie at the moment and if he eats it then he can have it.
Hello. Which ensure is your dad having? My friend has ensure plus and they are about a glass full but i think they're about 300 calories. Trying to find a link to post which ones i mean
Ensure plus, he has been on them since Christmas, he has oesohageal cancer as well as dementia so calories are important. He just seems to have gone off them, perhaps it's the weather. I couldn't drink them I think they are disgusting but dad loved them until recently.
@DeMartin Yes I have diluted them with milk before when he couldn't swallow, I am hoping that it is just the hot weather effecting him.
Hi
What experience has other members had when pwd stops eating?
Can it be sudden from one day to next?
This is my latest problem, JH has told me food is sticking in his teeth and he stopped eating regular food, up until now he had a good appetite and ate almost anything, now I really don't know what to give him. The amount of food that ends in the bin is sad and I can see him loosing weight. I am trying soup, mashed potatoes, mashed veg and very thin slices of meat. All meals a preceeded with an argument, also he doesn't want to drink much either as he says he's forever peeing, honestly it's no more than usual. I'm just so tired trying to please him and give him a healthy diet. Every day brings a new problem, I'm so tired and becoming very tearful, how does everyone else cope with all of this? Do I leave him till he's really hungry? I feel I've failed him.
Francy
Hi Francy, you mustn't feel you've failed him ...not ever. I can tell you have done everything you can for him. Take Care SusanThis is my latest problem, JH has told me food is sticking in his teeth and he stopped eating regular food, up until now he had a good appetite and ate almost anything, now I really don't know what to give him. The amount of food that ends in the bin is sad and I can see him loosing weight. I am trying soup, mashed potatoes, mashed veg and very thin slices of meat. All meals a preceeded with an argument, also he doesn't want to drink much either as he says he's forever peeing, honestly it's no more than usual. I'm just so tired trying to please him and give him a healthy diet. Every day brings a new problem, I'm so tired and becoming very tearful, how does everyone else cope with all of this? Do I leave him till he's really hungry? I feel I've failed him.
Francy
My husband has stopped eating and it's a struggle to get fluids into him. He has been assessed by SALTs and foods have to be mashed (no bread) and drinks have thickener in them. He is unable to feed himself so everything is spoon fed. Saturday he refused both food and drink and yesterday he took liquids. As he's in hospital they are doing the best they can.
Hi
What experience has other members had when pwd stops eating?
Can it be sudden from one day to next?
When I ask my husband what would he like to eat, he says he doesn't know and every suggestion I make is met with no, no, no. Last night I made some chicken and sliced it thinly to make it easier to chew and swallow. He asked what is that and I said chicken, "well I won't be having that" was the answer and he kept lifting potato and flicking it back on to the plate like it was foreign to him and the veg didn't stand a chance. I left him with it and eventually the chicken, most of the potato and some veg were eaten, he also had some yogurt which he said was lovely , I was tempted to say and the rest was rubbish was it, but just said nothing . At least he ate most of it, but each meal is a challenge , no matter what he's given he just looks at it and shakes his head. All of this started just about two weeks ago out of the blue, before that he had a normal healthy appetite. I can see he's losing weight. Not drinking much either, started at the same time. No idea where it came from.I dont think my o/h feels hunger any more so i have to keep an eye on him