Urgent Advice needed

[Matemple]

My mum has just turned 72 and was diagnosed with dementia 3 years ago. She recently showed a decline in her condition following Incontinence and irregular sleep patterns, leaving her home naked etc She had urine and blood tests but all came back normal a few weeks ago. Through concern for her well being and safety we had to make the hard decision to place her in a care home. A few days before moving her (she didn’t know at the time) she refused to eat anything and hasn’t eaten for a week. Sadly She believes if she eats then she will die. She has experienced several ‘fixations’ over the past couple of year but we are unsure if this is a phase or something more sinister. We have tried everything to get her to eat but she adamantly refuses. She has had a salt assessment and a further assessment with mental health team tomorrow at the care home. Has anyone else experienced this? Or can anyone offer advice as we are desperate to help her?

 

[Bod]

Keep offering tasty titbits, chocolate, anything you know she likes, but don't make a fuss, just leave food "lying around".

Bod

 

[Matemple]

Thanks Bod

We tried this when she was in her own flat but will try again. We will try anything. Thank you for replying!

 

[Roseleigh]

Could it be fear of choking, which is common in dementia? If this is so would she take nutritious drinks?

 

[Matemple]

We have thought this but she struggles to communicate so it’s difficult to truly understand what’s going on. She’s just says she’s only allowed to drink tea, coffee or juice. We thought maybe she is reliving a time in her life where she has had an operation?
She just spits out any other fluid or won’t entertain any solid food.

thank you for your reply.

 

[Kay111]

@Matemple I have no direct experience but just wanted to send some support and I hope the mental health team can get to the bottom of it xx

 

[charlie10]

If she will take drinks, could you add calories to them via cream/protein powder etc? So worrying for you, my FiL gets fixations on food but fortunately they do change so he is eating, just not a particular class of food at any given time.

 

[nellbelles]

Hello @Matemple and welcome to DTP
I wonder if she would accept the fruit juice Forti Sips
https://www.nutridrinks.co.uk/fortijuce

 

[canary]

She’s just says she’s only allowed to drink tea, coffee or juice. We thought maybe she is reliving a time in her life where she has had an operation?

I read this and remembered that mum did this too - she thought she was in a hospital and wasnt allowed to eat before an operation.
I cant remember how it was handled, but she started eating again after a few days. I think we took in treats and told her that it was OK, because she had had her op.