Eating...not eating...drinking..not drinking

Avis

Registered User
Nov 2, 2019
106
0
You can buy a battery operated nail cutting device that is quiet and efficient. I think it is called a rotary nail cutter, I have one for my own and my husband's finger nails. You would just need to be able to hold your mother's hand while you do it. Perhaps if you could get one of those and massage her hands with some hand cream while you are at it. The device only costs about $12 Australian as far as I can remember.
 

Louise7

Volunteer Host
Mar 25, 2016
4,635
0
Mum reacts quite badly to any of the azepam meds.
Thats why they had to try her with quetiapine anti psychotic when going through major anxiety & aggression when in Dementia Care.

That's difficult, not sure what else to suggest if the care staff have tried all other options to keep her nails short.

I wonder about soaking in warm water to soften them as they are so hard and once cut they will be sharp. But getting her hands into water would be nigh on impossible.

If soaking them in warm water is not possible you can buy nail softening creams at the chemist.
 

Moose1966

Registered User
Feb 10, 2017
147
0
Staffordshire
Mum reacts quite badly to any of the azepam meds.
Thats why they had to try her with quetiapine anti psychotic when going through major anxiety & aggression when in Dementia Care.
Hopefully something can be achieved :oops:
Strange isn’t it all through our lives we look after our hands , feet and even teeth , then if you go in to a decline and need care nails and teeth become a massive hurdle . Mums always had fab nails and her own teeth (87) now cutting nails is a necessity due to arthritis and tooth care is a struggle . Bedridden and depending on all care isn’t pleasant but we have to try and remember that our mums were once beautiful proud ladies . In my eyes they always will be .
 

Lettyc

New member
Feb 29, 2020
1
0
Asuncion
Hi , I’m writing from Paraguay , my mom is 62 and have been dealing with Alzheimer’s for 6 years , she’s been in the hospital for the last 2 weeks , was admitted to the ER for breathing difficulties but now I notice she have more problems, can’t stand by herself, have a lot of problems swallowing is like she can’t control her tongue movements she holds the food on her mouth and not swallow at all , before she got hospitalized she still spoke a few words now she is not saying anything, is it normal that she can that worse that fast ? Do you guys know in what stage she is ? Pardon for my English is not my maternal language
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
hello @Lettyc
a warm welcome to DTP
sorry to read that your mom is in hospital
this may give some info on stages
www.alzinfo.org/understand-alzheimers/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers/?mtc=google&kwd=alzheimers_stages&gclid=CJTyvb3Z-csCFQcUGwod4MYGmQ
and this
www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/how-dementia-progresses/later-stages

ask if there's a speech and language team in the hospital ... in England these are the specialists who look into eating concerns

and chat with the staff, tell them you would like to know exactly howvthings are with your mum, whether she is at end of life or not ... my dad was pouching food in his cheeks towards the end, he was not needing the food any longer
 

Cat27

Registered User
Feb 27, 2015
13,057
0
Merseyside
Hi , I’m writing from Paraguay , my mom is 62 and have been dealing with Alzheimer’s for 6 years , she’s been in the hospital for the last 2 weeks , was admitted to the ER for breathing difficulties but now I notice she have more problems, can’t stand by herself, have a lot of problems swallowing is like she can’t control her tongue movements she holds the food on her mouth and not swallow at all , before she got hospitalized she still spoke a few words now she is not saying anything, is it normal that she can that worse that fast ? Do you guys know in what stage she is ? Pardon for my English is not my maternal language

Welcome to DTP @Lettyc
I’m sorry about your mum. Please keep posting as you’ll get lots of support here.
 

Splashing About

Registered User
Oct 20, 2019
434
0
Hi @Lettyc
if you mum has/had a chest infection or other illness her dementia may have suddenly deteriorated and may take awhile to return to normal (or may never go back exactly to where she was)
Sorry things are so difficult for you
 

Splashing About

Registered User
Oct 20, 2019
434
0
Mum’s wheezy. Her abdomen is making effort to support her chest inflations. She has a slightly fast pulse and her BP is raised. She was v sleepy tonight and not drinking. She’d open her mouth but not swallow so even sips run down her chin. However despite this she looks a great colour and not EOL. She has lost more weight (only 3kg this month) but being overweight to start with, means she’s normal weight now. I wouldn’t be surprised if this develops but nor will I be surprised if all is well tomorrow
 

ruth20

New member
Mar 13, 2020
3
0
About 3-4 weeks ago mum stopped eating and drinking.

In terms of not eating and drinking, I have found that my mum does this from time to time and my dad also did this before he passed away.

There are numerous reasons but here's a few tips I have leant from recent experience:

*Difficulty swallowing and being scared of choking - as others have said wetter or liquid foods like broths help but so can adding gravy, white sauce, tomato sauce to any main course solid foods and cutting solid food like sausages up small before serving them. Also try soaking a piece of sponge cake in custard or cream for desert
*Difficulty of being able to hold a knife and fork or fear of dropping and breaking a glass - ditto above re: cutting up food, but also make sure you give a spoon which can be easier to handle and make sure the cutlery isn't too heavy. Make sure drinking vessels are not too heavy and have a wide stable base
*Not liking the taste as all food seems bland - try spicing up the food - adding curry/sweet chilli or even pepper or herbs to flavour it more. My mum never used to like chilli or garlic but loves it now (although if you ask her she will still say she doesn't like it).
*paranoia that someone is trying to poison them (this even extends to refusing to take medicine and prescribed tablets). Difficult to counteract this one apart from continual reassurance and reminding someone they need to keep up their strength through eating.
*If drinks are being refused try varying between hot and cold drinks, and variation in terms of taste, so if tea isn't being drunk then try a hot or cold Ribena instead. Also try something like a lager shandy or cider shandy as the bit of alcohol and fizz may help to enliven the tastebuds. Using a brightly coloured plastic beaker can also help to remind someone that they have a drink in front of them.
*Give lots of variety but at different times. Try not to offer too many options all at once or people with dementia may become confused and may refuse to eat anything.
*If you ask someone if they want food and they say no, then wait a few minutes and give them something on a plate to nibble. Also never offer more than 2 options at a time if you are asking e.g. "do you want fish or chicken?". We once had a carer who read out everything in the fridge to dad. No wonder he refused, he was exhausted and confused by the time she had finished listing everything! She also wasted lots of food which passed it's sell by date as she didn't take any notice of the dates on the labels!!

I have found the one food that mum consistently wolfs down is jaffa cakes. The original label ones, not own brand. Although it's not the most nutritional of foods, at least having some calories is better than having none at all.
Your mum might have a similar favourite...