Advice for Nutritional Guidance

NCYankeeGirl

Looking for some advice on nutrition in terms of helping my LO in mid-stage Alzheimer's. She was already a picky eater, but that, like the disease, has progressed. For example, she prefers a potato over a green vegetable (like broccoli), but really would rather not each vegetables; instead concentrate on the protein. Yet, if she's given a sandwich - say white bread (or wheat) with sliced turkey and bacon - she'll eat the bacon and may pick at the turkey, though this is a sandwich she used to enjoy. She doesn't like fish, loves mac & cheese and chocolate. In other words, not only is she picky, but she doesn't like to eat "healthy" (greens, grains, fruits, etc.). She prefers comfort foods (mac & cheese, potatoes, fried chicken, anything not as healthy).

So...has anyone experienced this? We'd like to encourage her to eat healthier (i.e. sweet potatoes over white potatoes, green leafy salads over wedge salads, etc.), but she tends to pick at or pull out what she wants that is not good for her diabetes as well. It's frustrating.

She lives with a caregiver, but he isn't much of a good cook. In other words, he doesn't know how to make healthy foods taste delicious.

So any advice is most definitely welcomed. Thank you!

LJS45

Would she drink a smoothie? My husband is picky and doesn't eat many greens too and I make a protein smoothie and add spinach or kale with blueberries every morning. You can get a chocolate flavored protein powder and make it thick like a milk shake. You can add water or a nut milk. I even add a lemon flavored fish oil and it tastes really good. Supplements might be good too if not already being taken.

M1

Welcome to the forum; you may have to pick your battles on this one.  Changes in taste and preference for sweets is part of the disease.  What she'll eat probably won't ever match your expectations--and at some point, it probably ceases to matter and it'll be good that she's getting any calories at all.  I'd just go for middle of the road, if she's maintaining her weight and sugars are not way way wacky, that's probably all you can hope for, sadly.

NCYankeeGirl

You know...that's a great idea! As a person who drinks smoothies daily, you'd think I would've thought of that. I'm not sure she likes smoothies BUT if we make her chocolatey ones, she might consider that, especially as the weather gets warmer. Thank you for the suggestion!

NCYankeeGirl

M1 wrote:

Welcome to the forum; you may have to pick your battles on this one.  Changes in taste and preference for sweets is part of the disease.  What she'll eat probably won't ever match your expectations--and at some point, it probably ceases to matter and it'll be good that she's getting any calories at all.  I'd just go for middle of the road, if she's maintaining her weight and sugars are not way way wacky, that's probably all you can hope for, sadly.

That's the problem. She is gaining weight, if not at this point overweight and her cholesterol numbers are higher than they should be - not dangerous yet but we're trying to help her get a grip on them. She goes for daily walks, though not too long. It's cold in MA still (and weather in general). With Covid, she's still  not comfortable even walking the mall so we'll take the daily walks outside when she can. 

Anyway, I don't expect her to match my expectations but I did want to give her more healthier variety to see what she would like. Thanks for replying!!

LaurenB

I love the idea of simple smoothies.  You could look for a vitamin powder or protein powder to add to it.  I also agree with picking your battles. Since she doesn't like broccoli alone, would she eat it with cheese sauce?  Sometimes we caregivers need to be like parents to toddlers.  Introduce a food multiple times and in a variety of ways.  It's also ok to be creative with cooking.  You can hide lots of pureed veggies in pasta sauce.

jfkoc

Cold V8?   The protein powder can go on anything. I used to mix it in orange sherbet!

NCYankeeGirl

LaurenB wrote:

I love the idea of simple smoothies.  You could look for a vitamin powder or protein powder to add to it.  I also agree with picking your battles. Since she doesn't like broccoli alone, would she eat it with cheese sauce?  Sometimes we caregivers need to be like parents to toddlers.  Introduce a food multiple times and in a variety of ways.  It's also ok to be creative with cooking.  You can hide lots of pureed veggies in pasta sauce.

I could definitely suggest to the person living with her to try broccoli with cheese sauce. I honestly thought perhaps he'd already have done that, but I know - never assume anything.

As I am not the one doing the cooking and the one that is is not good at it, I'll definitely take some of these suggestions to him. Thank you!

NCYankeeGirl

jfkoc wrote:

Cold V8?   The protein powder can go on anything. I used to mix it in orange sherbet!

Interesting idea! Going to suggest that too, though I'm not sure she enjoys anything tomato-ey. But, anything is worth trying! Thank you.

harshedbuzz

This is a classic dementia experience. As the disease progresses that palate changes. My dad had previously been a very healthy eater- primarily a Mediterranean diet style of eating. As a kid he took us out weekly to an ice cream parlor where we'd enjoy sundaes while he had a cup of coffee.

By the midstages he tended to like the sort of things one might find on a childrens menu- chicken fingers, fries, mac'n'cheese and any kind of sweet. Food became kind of a control issue where he'd refuse things my mom prepared in favor of junk. I also noticed that he preferred food that was easier to eat- both to pick up and to swallow- which translated into foods that didn't require utensils and foods that had gravy or sauce on them.

Dad had T2D, but this was not a hill on which we chose to do battle. His A1C and blood sugars weren't great, but Alzheimer's is a fatal disease and it seemed cruel to deny or fight with him in that context. At some point, even with his lousy diet, he started the inevitable weight loss which found us prying him with high calorie treats. 

HB