Dad is sleeping and not eating

[nufc4me]

Hi
I'm struggling
My dad has dementia
Only eating biscuits and sweets and stopped cooking 5 weeks ago.
He won't let me cook says he's OK and Dr says if he's eating hust biscuits it's OK
For last 3 weeks he's going to bed 11pm and waking up about 4pm the next day
He's so confused but then when grand daughter (aged 33) visits daily he laughs dances etc.
Take home to concerts once a week and can sing all the words
I worry he's sleeping his days away

 

[Louise7]

Hello @nufc4me and welcome, this is a friendly and supportive place with a lot of shared knowledge. You don't mention how old your dad is or how long he has had dementia but it is common to sleep more as dementia progresses. If the doctor has checked your dad over and ruled out any other health problems such as an infection then I wouldn't worry too much about how long he is sleeping. It sounds like when your dad is awake he is having a good time with the family and doing things that make him happy. Perhaps you could try giving him finger food which he could snack on throughout the day without needing to cook, things like tomatoes, pieces of fruit, cheese, anything that you think he might like.

My mum is now at the stage where she sleeps from early evening until 8 or 9 in the morning and also has several naps throughout the day and I think this is a combination of dementia progression but also partly due to the aging process too. She also much prefers to eat sweet things, and it's fairly common for tastes to change as dementia progresses, so as long as your dad is eating something, even if it is biscuits and sweets he will be getting some nutrients. It's a good idea to continue to monitor things though and have regular checks with the doctor if you notice any further changes such as weight loss as things like nutrition drinks could be prescribed if necessary. Hope this helps, and keep posting as there is always someone here to listen.

 

[nufc4me]

Hello @nufc4me and welcome, this is a friendly and supportive place with a lot of shared knowledge. You don't mention how old your dad is or how long he has had dementia but it is common to sleep more as dementia progresses. If the doctor has checked your dad over and ruled out any other health problems such as an infection then I wouldn't worry too much about how long he is sleeping. It sounds like when your dad is awake he is having a good time with the family and doing things that make him happy. Perhaps you could try giving him finger food which he could snack on throughout the day without needing to cook, things like tomatoes, pieces of fruit, cheese, anything that you think he might like.

My mum is now at the stage where she sleeps from early evening until 8 or 9 in the morning and also has several naps throughout the day and I think this is a combination of dementia progression but also partly due to the aging process too. She also much prefers to eat sweet things, and it's fairly common for tastes to change as dementia progresses, so as long as your dad is eating something, even if it is biscuits and sweets he will be getting some nutrients. It's a good idea to continue to monitor things though and have regular checks with the doctor if you notice any further changes such as weight loss as things like nutrition drinks could be prescribed if necessary. Hope this helps, and keep posting as there is always someone here to listen.

Thank you so so much my dad is 87 in December and had demitasse about 3 years but he can't remember longer than 2 mins he lives alone but next door to me. We've out sensor cameras in his kitchen and at front door so we keep check on him when at work. It's lovely to hear someone who I can speak to as I feel so lost and sad watching him. X

 

[Louise7]

It's good that you've found this forum @nufc4me people here understand x