Gaining weight fast!

Timeout

Registered User
Feb 10, 2012
204
0
Mum just defies the odds all the time! She’s had Alz for probably 12 or 13 years now and is now at the end stages. Hasn’t walked for 3 years, doubly incontinent for 5 years. Was hoisted to a chair in the care home lounge until last summer but has been bedbound since due to a nasty infection. She can only say a few words, mostly babbles and shouts. She sleeps a lot, stares at the ceiling for the rest of the time.

I visited her today, usual thing, she’s staring at the ceiling until I come in - today I got a smile (which is slowing starting to become a grimace). The carer soon came along to pop her head in and I asked how is she doing. ‘Doing fine’ she said ‘she’s eating so well and has gained a 8lb since she was weighed at the beginning of January!’ She’s always eaten well, now a very soft diet - all hand fed as she can’t hold a spoon.

Now she was never a small woman but honestly she’s now looking quite overweight, her tummy is very large and her face looks fatter. She’s opens her mouth if anything comes near her face so feeding Is easy, she never refuses - probably because she has no concept of refusal. So, the careers keep feeding, sometimes very large amounts, more than I think she should be fed.

I’m conflicted, I want her kept comfortable and that means to feed and hydrate as necessary but surely thi is over feeding? They will give her 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners plus milky drinks. She doesn’t move so cannot need that amount of calories.

Has anyone else experienced this? I was led to believe weight loss would accompany the end times, not weight gain!
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
0
70
Toronto, Canada
My mother experienced weight gain during the early and middle stages of her illness but that was due to her overeating.

I can understand how the staff must love feeding your mother as she is so co-operative but if I were you, I would have a meeting with the appropriate staff - manager, head of kitchen services, whoever should be there - and say how you feel that your mother should only be given normal size meals and only 3 a day.

For my mother, as we had a very visible relative coming in all the time (trust me, they can be as frustrating and upsetting as invisibles) who insisted on feeding my mother as though she were a foie gras goose, the staff cut the portions to 3/4 of the standard. It took some time but eventually my mother got to a more normal weight.

As for weight loss at end times, I do think that is often the case but your mother may be in the latter part of the disease and yet still not near the end. My mother was in a wheelchair for 10 years, incontinent longer and we only saw some weight loss a few days before she died.

Do you have the LPA for health and welfare? Is it possible for you to tell them to stop feeding your mother like this? Please update us on this.