Hi Everyone and a Happy New Year. My father is at the end stages of Dementia, being totally reliant on his carers at his Care Home, to do everything for him. There have been several times when we've thought he might leave us, but he has always come bouncing back. The difference now is that he has deteriorated physically, rather than just mentally.
He has lost over 3 stone in weight since moving to the home, that's not from their want of trying, if anything they have, in our opinion, been a little over zealous with trying to feed him up. My father is 89, nearly 90 and we know exactly what he would have wanted and what is really important to him, having had a wonderully close relationship with him.
We had a conversation with the GP, several months ago about the use of Fortisip, because Dad just stopped eating. The GP who looks after the residents there, asked if we could let him know as a family what Dad would have wanted and we all (there are 8 children) came back with the same response. Dad would not want to be kept alive in this way. Dad seemed to improve with eating and we presumed that food was all he was having.
Over the last few weeks Dad has deteriorated significantly and spends much of his time asleep. His eating is pretty hit and miss. It's come to our attention that there have been a few cups with fortisip left in his room. Half empty. He has not been prescribed Fortisip and having given Dad cups of tea, at times when he doesn't want/or simply won't take it, the only way they can be getting this into him is by "pouring" it in.
There is no recovery for Dad, he has no quality of life, if left alone he could not do anything for himself. So my question is why are they trying to revive him in this way physically, when he is in this condition?
I'd really like to know others opinions on this, what the consensus of opinion is with regard to build up drinks etc, in people at end stage Dementia, Thanks.
He has lost over 3 stone in weight since moving to the home, that's not from their want of trying, if anything they have, in our opinion, been a little over zealous with trying to feed him up. My father is 89, nearly 90 and we know exactly what he would have wanted and what is really important to him, having had a wonderully close relationship with him.
We had a conversation with the GP, several months ago about the use of Fortisip, because Dad just stopped eating. The GP who looks after the residents there, asked if we could let him know as a family what Dad would have wanted and we all (there are 8 children) came back with the same response. Dad would not want to be kept alive in this way. Dad seemed to improve with eating and we presumed that food was all he was having.
Over the last few weeks Dad has deteriorated significantly and spends much of his time asleep. His eating is pretty hit and miss. It's come to our attention that there have been a few cups with fortisip left in his room. Half empty. He has not been prescribed Fortisip and having given Dad cups of tea, at times when he doesn't want/or simply won't take it, the only way they can be getting this into him is by "pouring" it in.
There is no recovery for Dad, he has no quality of life, if left alone he could not do anything for himself. So my question is why are they trying to revive him in this way physically, when he is in this condition?
I'd really like to know others opinions on this, what the consensus of opinion is with regard to build up drinks etc, in people at end stage Dementia, Thanks.