Appetite for late stage of Alzheimers

loomis112002

Would like to hear from anybody that have encounter a person with late stage Alzheimer eating habits. My brothers and I take care of my mother which is at a late stage and she can't do anything on her own. We feed her, take her to the bathroom and wash her. We try to give her food that we make it very easy to swallow (she does not have any teeth) but it's been a struggle. We let her drink water, Ensure and gatorade during the day to keep her dehydrate. Any suggestions the food? thank you

solerdr

I am sorry you and you family are having to experience this as a part of your journey in this lifetime.

Honestly, it is trial and error. And what may work one time, may not work the next.

Mashed potatoes, spreadable meats, soft vegetables, oatmeal, ice cream. Anything you can think of that your loved one liked at one time or another. Again, trial and error and what may work one time may or may not work the next time. Remember to be patient and know that you are doing the best you can.

May God's light brighten your day and His spirit bring you peace.

Emily 123

Hi,

As the disease progresses a preference for sweet things often appears. You might want to see if smoothies with some protein powder in them are something she likes.

BassetHoundAnn

Cheesecake. It's calorie-dense, easy to feed mom and she absolutely loves it. She's always in the mood for cheesecake. I make it in an Instant Pot but it's just as easy to bake in an oven. Just mix up cream cheese, sour cream, a few eggs and 1/2 cup sugar and you have New York cheesecake. Sometimes I swirl chocolate or jam through it. You could probably add flavorless whey protein powder, although I haven't tried that.

My mom is on a soft-mechanical diet because of swallowing problems. She's not enthusiastic about eating the usual fare like pudding and mashed potatoes. And she absolutely refuses to eat some things that she used to eat like yogurt and soup. But she lives for ice-cream and cheesecake. Unfortunately the ice-cream is cold for her and it melts quickly while she eats very slowly.

Cottage cheese and pancakes are something else you can try. You can add soft vegetables like grated zucchini to pancakes and top with sour cream or plain yogurt.

Patti L

I make pudding with Ensure instead of milk. Cook and serve, not the instant. My lo loves it and it's helped her gain back a few pounds.