My mums appetite is getting smaller,some days she only has a few bites of something,is that normal ?
Is it part of the illness
- Thread starter Kate and jack
- Start date
Yes, apparently it is very common. But check for other causes, such as teeth/denture problems and gum soreness or problems swallowing.
Hard to comment without knowing more,
Is she still feeding herself, could it be she needs help with eating?
My husband lost interest in food when it became difficult for him to use a knife and fork. Changing him to finger food, helped greatly.
When he was no longer able to manage this and needed to be fed, his appetite increased.
I don't think it is possible to detect what is normal with this disease, as everyone is individual.
Is she old? sometimes age determines appetite.
I'm trying to help here, but don't seem to be doing a great job of it.
If you're really worried about how little she is eating, maybe check in with her GP.
Good luck Bastan x
Is she still feeding herself, could it be she needs help with eating?
My husband lost interest in food when it became difficult for him to use a knife and fork. Changing him to finger food, helped greatly.
When he was no longer able to manage this and needed to be fed, his appetite increased.
I don't think it is possible to detect what is normal with this disease, as everyone is individual.
Is she old? sometimes age determines appetite.
I'm trying to help here, but don't seem to be doing a great job of it.
If you're really worried about how little she is eating, maybe check in with her GP.
Good luck Bastan x
How long has it been going on? If it's come on very suddenly then I'd get her checked out.
However loss of appetite is certainly a common feature of dementia, though some people go the other way and want to eat a lot more. My mother lost a lot of weight over maybe 2 years - her appetite decreased dramatically and she lost perhaps 2 1/2 or 3 stone. However her weight then stabilised at this (for her) very thin stage, and she's been much the same for several years now.
However loss of appetite is certainly a common feature of dementia, though some people go the other way and want to eat a lot more. My mother lost a lot of weight over maybe 2 years - her appetite decreased dramatically and she lost perhaps 2 1/2 or 3 stone. However her weight then stabilised at this (for her) very thin stage, and she's been much the same for several years now.
My Dad's appetite declined hugely. Only eating maybe a quarter of his usual intake. Really shocking as he previously loved his food.
He did have trouble with his dentures as after losing so much weight they didn't fit properly so chewing and biting became increasingly difficult.
In the end we were mashing up his food and giving him thick vitamin enhanced milky drinks. But he was only taking a couple of teaspoonfulls.
He used to get quite angry with us if we kept on trying to get just one more spoonful down him so meal times became quite stressful.
He did have trouble with his dentures as after losing so much weight they didn't fit properly so chewing and biting became increasingly difficult.
In the end we were mashing up his food and giving him thick vitamin enhanced milky drinks. But he was only taking a couple of teaspoonfulls.
He used to get quite angry with us if we kept on trying to get just one more spoonful down him so meal times became quite stressful.
my mum spends 2.5 hours over breakfast which is the only meal she is guaranteed to eat during the day. i try to count her calorific intake - she really doesnt need much, and if I think it is too low, I give her a protein drink (some of them you can heat up like hot chocolate) and she likes these. I think 3 of these in a day is about 900 calories and if the person is not active they probably dont need an awful lot more than this .
Try small meals but often. Cut crusts off sandwiches so they are tiny. A biscuit with a cup of tea - a chocolate with a night time drink. Sometimes I think the quality of the food is not good, but I concentrate on quantity! You cant really put someone who is nearly 90 onto a vegan diet - it would never work.
Try small meals but often. Cut crusts off sandwiches so they are tiny. A biscuit with a cup of tea - a chocolate with a night time drink. Sometimes I think the quality of the food is not good, but I concentrate on quantity! You cant really put someone who is nearly 90 onto a vegan diet - it would never work.
Presumably you've tried getting her to eat more?
What is her weight?
Perhaps you should concentrate on trying to ensure that everything she eats is packed full of calories, e.g. add cream or cheese when you can. If you are worried about her weight, forget all abot healthy eating.
If you provide further details you may get more responses.
Another thing you could try is to offer her sweet things as very often this becomes the food of choice. You can still pack the calories in to things like custard, bread and butter pudding, rice pudding, even cake or ice cream.
Think of things she might recognise from when she was younger - like sponge and custard.
Even if she is diabetic, you can speak to her GP as, as Stanley says, it is better for her to eat something than nothing.
On the savoury side mashed potatos made with milk and butter and cream and even an egg can be the magic food, served with some gravy.
Fiona
Think of things she might recognise from when she was younger - like sponge and custard.
Even if she is diabetic, you can speak to her GP as, as Stanley says, it is better for her to eat something than nothing.
On the savoury side mashed potatos made with milk and butter and cream and even an egg can be the magic food, served with some gravy.
Fiona
Thanku all for your comments and advice.my mum is 66 had dementia for 6 yrs,I would say her appetite is getting smaller and has done for 6 months or so,she doesn't really move much as got trouble with her knee.she can take upto 2 hours to eat a slice of toast ,she can still feed herself,we cut up her food now though,I do encourage her and remind her that the food is in front of her,she will eventually eat but then only may have a few mouthfuls. Does anyone recommend the complain drinks ? And where to buy therm from?
Complan is O.K, so long as the person likes them. There's a chocolate flavour one that is quite popular. Fortisip is a similar product. You can buy them at a pharmacy but a GP can prescribe them for her and you wouldn't have to pay.
Seems to be a "normal" symptom of the disease. My Dad was a huge foodie but now is way too thin & still keeps eating less. GP & SW say just try to get maximum calories into him ie: sweet, cream, cake, pudding etc. Little & often. Try to make meal time a social event if you can, that seems to help.
My dad is the same, he is eating less and less. I have started feeding him porridge oats with warm milk and sugar some cinnamon sprinkled on the top in the evening before bed which comforts him.
My mother's appetite has diminished, but with prodding, she will eat her meals. She does better in the morning. She has taken to liking canned pears and canned peaches, which come in a diced form in the supermarket. Perhaps it is the *kind* of food your dad is being offered. I switch off the things that my mother is no longer swallowing well. She used to love a chicken salad I made, but she now chokes on it. So we tend to give her soup or else a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, for instance.
Try swapping out what is being offered. The change of pace might attract her and keep the focus on the eating part. I find that sweet things go down more easily than other things. She loves cookies!
Try swapping out what is being offered. The change of pace might attract her and keep the focus on the eating part. I find that sweet things go down more easily than other things. She loves cookies!
A few years ago OH lost over three stone and it was quite difficult to get him eating. He lived on orange juice and very dark chocolate . He did however recover to normal weight eventually and has been ok until this year, when an increase in weight co incided with Quetiapine and a decrease below normal with a hospital stay. Now however, after another hospital stay he has regained his appetite!
Keep trying with the fortified drinks and little and often, preferably calorie packed.
Keep trying with the fortified drinks and little and often, preferably calorie packed.
