How do you solve the pocketing problem?

RanchersWife

Mil pockets food in her mouth. If I take her plate away and give her a chance to chew she loses interest in her food (or gets mad) and goes back to bed. She basically only eats what fits in her mouth each meal. I don’t like her walking around with food in her mouth. We’ve already moved to mostly finger foods.

Marta

What do you mean by ‘solve,’ rancher’s wife?

The real question is:  is she getting enough nutrition (no weight loss), and is she safe eating solid food (get a swallowing evaluation through her PCP after informing him/her of the problem). 

RanchersWife

She’s on hospice and is losing weight. Do I just let her eat the way she wants to or try to prevent the choking hazard somehow or change her food? She did just eat a really good dinner! But I let her stuff her mouth as full as she wanted.

Marta

Ask Hospice about the safety issue. That is why they are there!

abc123

Hello my friend! Sorry mil seems to be nearing the end of her journey. I can't remember what stage she's in. I understand your concern, you don't want her to choke. Hopefully the hospice nurse can give you some good insight on this problem. This is such a strange disease. My LO wants to eat in a reclining position.

RanchersWife

Hi abc123,

She’s a solid stage 6 with some 7 traits. 2 second memory. Not able to follow directions. Starting to fall, sleep more, almost no language, lose weight and pace. 

harshedbuzz

In your shoes, I would get an SLP to come do a swallowing evaluation and offer you strategies to safely feed her. This could move into aspiration pneumonia quickly.