Poor diet in care home and risk from weight gain

[Snowedunder]

My husband has usually been slightly overweight for years but he's now getting much heavier since being in a care home. He eats much more at each meal than he did when he was active and at home and the diet is much less healthy.
Because his dementia is severe, he's unable to take part in any activities and eating is his only pleasure so the care staff give him very large portions.
He's very sleepy, which might be because of the dementia, but he's also very thirsty so I'm also concerned that he may be developing type 2 diabetes.
Has anyone experienced this problem?

 

[lin1]

I've no experience of care homes.

I'm no medic, but I am Diabetic type 2. Tiredness can also be part of Diabetes.
So I think you need to do two things Asap.

1 Speak to the staff about overfeeding your Husband. Speaking personally, till you know whether or not your Husband has Diabetes, I wouldnt cut out sweet Things I'd let him continue enjoying these for the time being, till you know for sure I'd concentrate on the over feeding

2 Arrange for your Husband to be checked for Diabetes.

I do hope your fears about Husband being Diabetic I are unfounded. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[jaymor]

The diet should be spot on, it has to be nutritional and balanced. The size of the portions are most likely the problem. If they are weighing your husband weekly,and they should, then the weight gain should have been dealt with long before you could see he gained weight.. Gaining unnecessary weight is as bad as losing too much weight.

They can help your husband by making sure his portions, if they need to be larger, are more low calorie, more green veg and less potato, steamed fish as against fried or battered fish, just the meat if a meat pie is served. It is not rocket science for them to deal with this. They could also cut the portions down slowly so it is not so noticeable to him.

As said, checking him for diabetes is important and should be done quickly.

Is he in a care home or a nursing home? if it is a nursing home then the nurses should be dealing with his health and welfare, not just giving medication. A care home should be doing the same.

 

[Snowedunder]

Thank you - sorry for not responding earlier

I've no experience of care homes.

I'm no medic, but I am Diabetic type 2. Tiredness can also be part of Diabetes.
So I think you need to do two things Asap.

1 Speak to the staff about overfeeding your Husband. Speaking personally, till you know whether or not your Husband has Diabetes, I wouldnt cut out sweet Things I'd let him continue enjoying these for the time being, till you know for sure I'd concentrate on the over feeding

2 Arrange for your Husband to be checked for Diabetes.

I do hope your fears about Husband being Diabetic I are unfounded. Please let us know how you get on.

Thank you for this - I'm sorry for not replying earlier. A few things happened in the family and I forgot about posting my question. x