Constantly eating

Emilypen

Registered User
Jul 14, 2019
82
0
I find my husband constantly focuses on food. He will make himself a sandwich, or eat crackers, shortly after a big meal. When asked if he is hungry, he says no,but he still snacks. At the moment, he makes his own breakfast and tea - often a bacon sandwich or toasted cheese sandwich. Interestingly, he can still do this, but often can't press the button on the coffee maker! He will regularly make 3 whole sandwiches for breakfast or tea. I try to talk to him about the quantities, but he doesn't listen. He had bowel cancer 4 years ago, so I try to keep an eye on what he eats, but I am finding it stressful. I am very thankful that he is still able to do this, given how much else he is unable to do. Do I just let him do what he wants, or do I try and advise or supervise? Has anyone else had this problem?
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,455
0
Kent
Hello @Emilypen

Do you think your husband is likely to take notice if you try to curb his eating or supervise what he makes? If it goes by my experience of my husband with dementia I think it highly unlikely

What you could do is try to make sure the sandwiches he is making are healthy. Good bread , healthy fillings. I don’t know if the bowel cancer has any bearing on what he eats and you are aware I’m sure what is and is not a healthy diet but it`s all I can think of for now.
 

Emilypen

Registered User
Jul 14, 2019
82
0
Hello @Emilypen

Do you think your husband is likely to take notice if you try to curb his eating or supervise what he makes? If it goes by my experience of my husband with dementia I think it highly unlikely

What you could do is try to make sure the sandwiches he is making are healthy. Good bread , healthy fillings. I don’t know if the bowel cancer has any bearing on what he eats and you are aware I’m sure what is and is not a healthy diet but it`s all I can think of for now.
Dear Grannie G. If only I could persuade him to eat the healthy things I buy!! I've tried the nice Artisan bread, but he prefers the small Warburton's white. I buy all sorts for the sandwiches ,but he eats cheese, cheese and more cheese!! I do try and remind him that he shouldn't eat all this cheese, but he forgets (or ignores me!). I have, though, found a bacon without all the nasties, so that helps. I suppose, given all the other challenges, I might just have to let this one go. Thank you, though, for your response.
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
23,146
0
Southampton
mine a supposed to be on a soft diabetic diet. ive conquered the soft diet after a lot of pushing the boundaries and fighting against it. im not going to get to the diabetic diet as one was bad enough and at least hes not choking which was the important one. choose what you say no to as it got to a battlefield until i stepped back from policing it.
 

silkiest

Registered User
Feb 9, 2017
865
0
Hi I've found that eating can be a regular problem with the Pwd. My brothers FIL ballooned in early stages of Alzheimer's as he could never remember having his meals, later on he tended to stop feeling hungry and had to be prompted constantly to eat. I have seen this in quite a few people. MIL was crying to the carers last week saying she had not eaten all day with no food in the house. When hubby double checked the only thing she had actually run out of were chocolate biscuits as she had eaten 8 Kit Kats in 2 days ! and she was happily eating her tea according to the cctv 45 minutes before the carers arrived.
 

Violet Jane

Registered User
Aug 23, 2021
2,016
0
It is my understanding that the sense of taste declines in people with dementia and so it’s possible that the reason that foods such as cheese and bacon are appealing is that they have strong flavours. I believe that the appetite control mechanism in the body starts to work less well and that is why people with dementia start to overeat.
 

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