Hello, my Mum is 73 and was diagnosed with vascular dementia about 4 years ago. She appears to be in the advanced stages of the disease and has very little communication skills, often just a yes or no answer if she is asked something with an option. She had been living with my brother with a care package in place and although wasn't always eating much during the day she would always eat dinner in the evenings.
Just over a month ago she fell and broke a bone in her pelvis, prior to this she was continent, able to dress herself, climb stairs and walk unaided. Following the break she spent 4 weeks in hospital, during which time she has become bed bound and incontinent, the hospital said they couldn't get her to engage in physio attempts (she was on a surgical ward and there seemed to be little understanding of dementia, despite posters advertising their dementia champion). On admission I completed a form called "All about Me" and expressed my Mum needed lots of encouragement to eat and drink but could use cutlery to feed herself. During her time on the ward I repeatedly asked staff to ensure she was encouraged and be offered a feeding buddy. Other patients on the ward reported to us that Mum was regularly left her meals, usually covered and that they were simply left then removed later on with no staff involvement to encourage her eating. Eventually I asked that she be given protein shakes as she had lost do much weight. The staff agreed that it was probably a good idea, one which they had not considered!!
Following discharge from the ward Mum has gone to a care home for about 6 weeks, it is a lovely place dedicated to people suffering with dementia and the staff are very nurturing.
The reason for my post is that since being in the home every time they try to feed or get my Mum to eat she is sick. They frequently tell us that she has taken little or no nutrition whatsoever. We have asked for a doctor to intervene and been told as she is out of her normal living area they would only come in an emergency. I cannot understand what would be regarded as an emergency if this situation does not fall into that category. They weighed her today and she has a BMI of 19.3, I'm told this is still considered a "healthy weight" she is skeletal in appearance and has lost all muscle tone, unable to support her weight even with help just from transfer of chair to wheelchair.
I am deeply concerned, 2 years ago I watched my Father waste away after a real overly short illness in dementia terms. He was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies in January and by the July he had passed away following his decision to stop eating. He was in a mental health unit at the time and we were told if we could not get him to eat he was going to die. It was an incredibly traumatic experience, one which I do not wish to repeat with my Mum.
Has anyone else has a similar experience with the vomiting issue? Is this the beginning of the end? I would be grateful for any response. I think the care home are going to try and get a doctor to visit Mum but I do not know how they will be able to help.
Feeling helpless! Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
Melseybub
Just over a month ago she fell and broke a bone in her pelvis, prior to this she was continent, able to dress herself, climb stairs and walk unaided. Following the break she spent 4 weeks in hospital, during which time she has become bed bound and incontinent, the hospital said they couldn't get her to engage in physio attempts (she was on a surgical ward and there seemed to be little understanding of dementia, despite posters advertising their dementia champion). On admission I completed a form called "All about Me" and expressed my Mum needed lots of encouragement to eat and drink but could use cutlery to feed herself. During her time on the ward I repeatedly asked staff to ensure she was encouraged and be offered a feeding buddy. Other patients on the ward reported to us that Mum was regularly left her meals, usually covered and that they were simply left then removed later on with no staff involvement to encourage her eating. Eventually I asked that she be given protein shakes as she had lost do much weight. The staff agreed that it was probably a good idea, one which they had not considered!!
Following discharge from the ward Mum has gone to a care home for about 6 weeks, it is a lovely place dedicated to people suffering with dementia and the staff are very nurturing.
The reason for my post is that since being in the home every time they try to feed or get my Mum to eat she is sick. They frequently tell us that she has taken little or no nutrition whatsoever. We have asked for a doctor to intervene and been told as she is out of her normal living area they would only come in an emergency. I cannot understand what would be regarded as an emergency if this situation does not fall into that category. They weighed her today and she has a BMI of 19.3, I'm told this is still considered a "healthy weight" she is skeletal in appearance and has lost all muscle tone, unable to support her weight even with help just from transfer of chair to wheelchair.
I am deeply concerned, 2 years ago I watched my Father waste away after a real overly short illness in dementia terms. He was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies in January and by the July he had passed away following his decision to stop eating. He was in a mental health unit at the time and we were told if we could not get him to eat he was going to die. It was an incredibly traumatic experience, one which I do not wish to repeat with my Mum.
Has anyone else has a similar experience with the vomiting issue? Is this the beginning of the end? I would be grateful for any response. I think the care home are going to try and get a doctor to visit Mum but I do not know how they will be able to help.
Feeling helpless! Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
Melseybub