Food/Eating

honeyblossom

Registered User
Apr 8, 2016
1
0
My relative, who I care for, has developed a problem with eating. She's refusing to eat most solids and repeatedley says she feels sick (she's had all tests you can think of and there's nothing wrong with her stomach/digestive system).
If I give her something soft like cottage pie she will eat it as it slides down. Last night I gave her fish and mash potato. She got a quarter of the way through and said she felt sick and refused to eat any more. She then ate a bowl of rice pudding and a chocolate eclair!!
Sometimes I think she's just too tired to eat as you can see her getting weary and I normally end up feeding her. Does any one have this problem and how do you deal with it? She's already on Ensure drinks and we are waiting for a dietician appointment.

She has had a diagnosis of Alzheimers for about two years, lives on her own, has carers to administer medication and my family and myself care for her.

Thanks!
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
There might be nothing wrong with her digestive system, but there is something wrong with her brain, and that might tell her that she doesn't like the food she's given. Tastebuds in dementia change and often people develop a sweet tooth. If you find food she eats then give more of them to her and don't worry about the diet being too sweet and unbalanced. At this stage it's more important to get any food into her instead of having a wonderfully balanced diet.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Did they also check her swallowing along with her digestive system?

If there is a problem with the swallow (common with dementia) then soft food will, indeed, slide down but lumps can get stuck on the way down. The sensation of something stuck at the back of the throat will certainly make you feel sick. If the swallowing function hasnt been checked then you could have a word with your GP to see if she could have an assessment with the SALT (speech and language team) who are the best people to assess the swallow and advise.
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
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70
Toronto, Canada
I agree with Beate that it may be dementia-related. If she likes soft food, then give her soft food. Does she like pasta dishes? You can cram a lot of nutrition in very finely chopped vegetables added to food.

There often comes a time when the calories are more important than the balance. What about smoothies or milk shakes?
 

Lozzer

Registered User
Jan 18, 2016
7
0
My MIL went through this a couple of months ago and thankfully she is eating well now. I was advised that a red plate can encourage them to eat. Well it may be a coincidence but it seemed to work. It can stimulate their appetite and red is a colour that they can more easily see. The food also looks better on the red. I have continued to use a red tea plate so she is not over faced. Too big a plate can put her off.

She also likes more spicy food but is eating a good range now. I also got her on hot chocolate with full milk and encouraged her sweet tooth just to keep the calories high.

Her favourites were tomato and basil soup, mild chilli and curry, bacon and tomatoes, toasted currant bread, rice pudding, banana and ice cream and strawberries.

Try the red plate- nothing ventured, nothing gained.
 

CeliaW

Registered User
Jan 29, 2009
5,643
0
Hampshire
Just a thought, one of the things that was helpful with Mum at times when she wasn't interested / willing to eat, was to sit with her and eat a meal myself. Not sure if it was because it was the companionship, the more "normal" atmosphere or the fact that it took away the obvious aspect of encouragement and concentration on what she was eating. We also changed to light melamine brightly coloured plates and lighter weight crockery. Good luck, concentrate on calories and amount of fluid taken first and when you are able to, then make it as good nutritionally as you can.