Food?

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Hi there! I am new to this board and am grateful to have found you all.

My Mum is in the early stages of Alzheiner's. Still living on her own, short term memory problems, etc. Apart from the loneliness, her main problem is mealtimes. It doesn't seem to matter what I cook or how I cook it, she doesn't like it: it smells funny, tastes funny, can't chew it.......... :(

I was wonderng if anyone else has had similar experiences and if you have any hints/suggestions/advice?

Thanks in advance

xx
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
Can you get meals on wheels to come around?

My mum through a stage like that
doesn't seem to matter what I cook or how I cook it, she doesn't like it: it smells funny, tastes funny, can't chew it

last year it did pass . Dose your still eat what you give her, but just keeps complaining as that is what my mum did .
 

Helena

Registered User
May 24, 2006
715
0
My Mother has complained for years that nothing has any taste
When she is taken shopping she has bought the same things for weeks now suddenly she does not like any of that
She leaves stuff in the oven instead of putting it in fridge so heaven knows what its like when she reheats it

She must be immune to every food poisoning bug known to man given the state of her fridge and the cooker but dont dare try to deal with anything

As for Meals on Wheels would not dare suggest that if I want to leave with my head still on my shoulders
 

daughter

Registered User
Mar 16, 2005
824
0
Last edited:

Lila13

Registered User
Feb 24, 2006
1,342
0
There was a time when we relied mainly on Wiltshire Farm Meals. And a time when I could get my mother to go through the catalogue and try to guess what she might eat.

Much too short a time unfortunately.

Lila
 

Libby

Registered User
May 20, 2006
625
0
66
North East
Hi roadtonowhere

When my mum went into the home she weighed 7 stone (over 2 years she'd lost about 3.5 stone) She would take things out of the freezer at home to defrost, then next time we went in, we'd find them in the freezer again.

Since being in the home she has put 2 stone back on. When I ask her what she's had to eat that day, she just says nothing - there hasn't been anything to eat. They never give her anything to eat!

I think in mums case, if there's a lot of strange people eating with her (and as she forgets who all her fellow housemates are every time she goes back into her room) she will eat everything on her plate, as it's rude too leave anything!

Can you not ask your mum what she would like to eat, then see if she will help to prepare it - or would that be too tramumatic:eek:

Libs
 

janew

Registered User
Mar 28, 2005
51
0
58
At the home my mum goes to for Day Care they discussed with me that my mum may have a problem eating with metal knives and forks. Someone had read that people with a memory problem seemed to have a horrible taste (metalic) in the mouth when eating with metal knives and forks.

It may all be silly but thought I would just mention it.

Best Wishes
Janew
 

dmc

Registered User
Mar 13, 2006
1,157
0
croeso roadtonowhere

can i just say its nice to have another welshie on TP, your not that far from me either,
i was wondering does your mum help you prepare /cook the food, is she able to?
perhaps if the food was something that she had prepared she might not be so fussy with it.
i know ive read a few threads that said that the taste buds change and food that sufferers liked before they can no longer stand and vice versa.
not much help to you
but good luck with it anyway
hwyl
 

Michael E

Registered User
Apr 14, 2005
619
0
Ronda Spain
Monique really does not like anything I prepare for her.. (mind you she is not stupid) but sometimes it is not so bad... salmon, fruit de mer, moules.. actually those things go down OK!!

Seriously it is a real problem.... I think the smallest possible portions are more acceptable. Really small bite size bits on the plate. Perhaps several small courses are better than one dish.

It is a problem that's getting bigger for me but the above rule of thumb - together with sweet thing on demand - flan, chocolate cakes etc seem to help..

Michael
 

Kayla

Registered User
May 14, 2006
621
0
Kent
My Mum seems to eat very well in her Nursing Home and I know they always have soup with the evening meal, which is easy to eat. They also have cakes with their afternoon cup of tea. At home, Mum always said she felt sick or just not hungry and never ate very much, so she lost a lot of weight.
She is now closely monitored, and receives her medication at set times and the meal times are regular and social. Mum has gained some weight, but is still very thin, because her muscles are not being used, while in the wheelchair. As people become less active, they tend to lose their appetite. Their pills might also affect the amount they eat.
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Margarita said:
Can you get meals on wheels to come around?

My mum through a stage like that

last year it did pass . Dose your still eat what you give her, but just keeps complaining as that is what my mum did .

M-on-W: no chance! Might as well offer her vindaloo! :rolleyes:

Yes, she does eat some of what I give her.

Thanks for replying

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Helena said:
My Mother has complained for years that nothing has any taste
When she is taken shopping she has bought the same things for weeks now suddenly she does not like any of that
She leaves stuff in the oven instead of putting it in fridge so heaven knows what its like when she reheats it

She must be immune to every food poisoning bug known to man given the state of her fridge and the cooker but dont dare try to deal with anything

As for Meals on Wheels would not dare suggest that if I want to leave with my head still on my shoulders

Mine is the same with stuff she used to love! I often feel like I'm hitting my head agains a brick wall :(
As for M-on-W, mine is the same. :rolleyes:

Thanks for replying

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
daughter said:
Hi road2nowhere and welcome to TP. I just wanted to say that my Dad went through this too, it was around the time when he started having sugar in his tea, after never having done so before.

Here are a couple of threads about this, although you may have already seen them:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/Discuss/showthread.php?t=3927
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/Discuss/showthread.php?t=3245

Best wishes,

Thanks for these- not had a chance to check them out yet, but will do soon.

Best

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Lila13 said:
There was a time when we relied mainly on Wiltshire Farm Meals. And a time when I could get my mother to go through the catalogue and try to guess what she might eat.

Much too short a time unfortunately.

Lila

Thanks for the suggestion, but sadly already looked intp that- she was NOT impressed!

Best

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Libby said:
Hi roadtonowhere

When my mum went into the home she weighed 7 stone (over 2 years she'd lost about 3.5 stone) She would take things out of the freezer at home to defrost, then next time we went in, we'd find them in the freezer again.

Since being in the home she has put 2 stone back on. When I ask her what she's had to eat that day, she just says nothing - there hasn't been anything to eat. They never give her anything to eat!

I think in mums case, if there's a lot of strange people eating with her (and as she forgets who all her fellow housemates are every time she goes back into her room) she will eat everything on her plate, as it's rude too leave anything!

Can you not ask your mum what she would like to eat, then see if she will help to prepare it - or would that be too tramumatic:eek:

Libs

I've tried asking her, ringing before I leave work to see if there's anything I can get on the way home - nada!

Thanks for replying

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
janew said:
At the home my mum goes to for Day Care they discussed with me that my mum may have a problem eating with metal knives and forks. Someone had read that people with a memory problem seemed to have a horrible taste (metalic) in the mouth when eating with metal knives and forks.

It may all be silly but thought I would just mention it.

Best Wishes
Janew

Thanks - that's something I'd not thought of!

Best

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
dmc said:
croeso roadtonowhere

can i just say its nice to have another welshie on TP, your not that far from me either,
i was wondering does your mum help you prepare /cook the food, is she able to?
perhaps if the food was something that she had prepared she might not be so fussy with it.
i know ive read a few threads that said that the taste buds change and food that sufferers liked before they can no longer stand and vice versa.
not much help to you
but good luck with it anyway
hwyl

Hwyl i chi hefyd!

You're right about the tastebuds - food that tastes great to me . . . . :confused:

If I leave potatoes out for her, she will peel/scrape them for me, and she sorts out her own breakfast (banana) and lunch (tin of soup), but that's about it.

Thanks for replying

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Michael E said:
Monique really does not like anything I prepare for her.. (mind you she is not stupid) but sometimes it is not so bad... salmon, fruit de mer, moules.. actually those things go down OK!!

Seriously it is a real problem.... I think the smallest possible portions are more acceptable. Really small bite size bits on the plate. Perhaps several small courses are better than one dish.

It is a problem that's getting bigger for me but the above rule of thumb - together with sweet thing on demand - flan, chocolate cakes etc seem to help..

Michael


My Mum has given up on fish of all types! :(

You're right about the smaller portions, plus the bribe that "if you don't eat that, you can't have your dessert!" ;)

Thanks for replying and good luck!

Best wishes

xx
 

road2nowhere

Registered User
Aug 10, 2006
17
0
Caerphilly
www.imfo4u.co.uk
Kayla said:
My Mum seems to eat very well in her Nursing Home and I know they always have soup with the evening meal, which is easy to eat. They also have cakes with their afternoon cup of tea. At home, Mum always said she felt sick or just not hungry and never ate very much, so she lost a lot of weight.
She is now closely monitored, and receives her medication at set times and the meal times are regular and social. Mum has gained some weight, but is still very thin, because her muscles are not being used, while in the wheelchair. As people become less active, they tend to lose their appetite. Their pills might also affect the amount they eat.

Thanks for that - I agree about the lack of activity and reduced appetite. Mum can't walk very far, so doesn't use much energy. I was wondering about the medication aspect too!

Thanksfor replying

Best wishes

xx
 

Splat88

Registered User
Jul 13, 2005
176
0
Essex
My MIL was desperately under weight when living on her own, she's put on a stone since moving in with us three years ago, the result of her having proper meals and not living on crisps and custard creams.

I did have concerns over the amount of salt she uses, it looks like snow on the side of her plate!!She has a limited diet, never has eaten poultry or fish and is very much a meat and 2 veg person. Her psychogeriatrician told me that it was common for taste buds to deteriorate as we age, and not to worry in spite of her high blood pressure.

I try and leave biscuits and cakes where she can help herself, and have separate supplies for the family, which I have to put out of sight, as she gets bored easily and finds eating an easy relief and will finish a whole biscuit tin in an hour.

I used to put a bowl of fruit in her room, but she has taken to eating all of it at once, and then gets diarrhoea! I'm afraid it's all trial and error, the easy thing about this is she could eat the same meal every day and be none the wiser, so once you find something acceptable it will be easier.

It's very difficult for them continue with some sort of responsibilty for themselves, I know she needs to do things to keep as much memory as possible. I try to resist the temptation to do everything for her, as I know that's not good. She seems now to have lost the abilty to make even a cup of tea, I came back from a shopping trip to find 10 tea bags on the pot!!!
 

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