Eating habits...

[Manu]

Hi

I look after an elderly gentleman with Dementia. Before that I looked after my mother for 5 years who had Alzheimers, so I am pretty familiar with the odd behaviors and eating habits. However, my 'friend' is just unbelievable as to what and when he eats..
if left alone he will eat the most oddest of things, bottles of sauce, weetabix (the whole box) a whole loaf at a time etc, etc, all after his main meal.

We have begun to hide things but he always finds them, has anyone come across this type of behavior before, and if so what can be done. Needless to say this is having a bad affect on other aspects of his health.

Thanks in advance...

 

[nannylondon]

Hi

I look after an elderly gentleman with Dementia. Before that I looked after my mother for 5 years who had Alzheimers, so I am pretty familiar with the odd behaviors and eating habits. However, my 'friend' is just unbelievable as to what and when he eats..
if left alone he will eat the most oddest of things, bottles of sauce, weetabix (the whole box) a whole loaf at a time etc, etc, all after his main meal.

We have begun to hide things but he always finds them, has anyone come across this type of behavior before, and if so what can be done. Needless to say this is having a bad affect on other aspects of his health.

Thanks in advance...

Hi I had same problem with my husband I tried hiding things locking cupboards which had food in them then he started eating face creams etc even ate raw meat out of the fridge it was a nightmare never found a solution he is now in CH sorry I couldn't be more helpful
I couldn't get any advice with this problem GP had never heard of it happening. Nannylondon

 

[Manu]

Thanks

Thanks for the reply....

 

[betsie]

Hi, could you not get a padlock for the food cupboards?

Or even a lock on the kitchen door.

I would worry that he might start eating and drinking unsuitable things like cleaning products and soap powder.

If you can lock things up, maybe just leave out fruit so he has access to something. Sorry I can't think of anything more helpful.

 

[Skyrim]

Changing food habits...

I wonde if your elderly gentleman has another form of dementia..i.e Pick's/frontotemporal dementia?? This is often associated with odd behaviours such as over-eating and eating strange or non-food items. What you need here is a review by the older person's mental health team or a specialist, perhaps not just the G.P.

Whatever the diagnosis, over-eating is still a challenge and you have to find ways to manage it. My mother-in-law lives to a schedule of her choosing for meals, but will still ask for food if the meal is early and gets very fretful if it is late. She raids cupboards, particularly for sweet things and can eat packets i biscuits, crips or ice-creams at a time. I try to manage this by hiding most of the food, leaving out small healthy snacks and sitting with her for meals, then writing down for her just what she has eaten. It helps most of the time.

I still cringe when she tells the day centre or complete strangers that she hasn't eaten in days.....