Refusing to eat/doesn't like food

MaybeIAm

I'm a part time caregiver for my grandma; she has alzheimers. We are at the stage where she doesn't like most foods. And even if we try to encourage her she will spit it out. Any advice? Things that have worked for yall? Even food supplements?

ButterflyWings

@MaybeIAm Welcome to this wonderful group that no one wants to need. There is assurance here because lots of forum mates are either going through, have been, or will be dealing with the same thing you are, and we help each other.

Here is an article I found for your dilemma. One thing I experienced, some meds have totally suppressed my DH's appetite in the past. He dropped weight so fast with the "dementia" meds that we stopped the. Donepezil and Aricept - he just had no hunger and did not eat at all. So, maybe see if that is affecting your grandma?

Also, this article has other tips like is she having dental problems or pain? Swallowing issues? Or maybe her taste buds are changing - even textures can become a problem as their brains change. They list several foods to try. And other posts here suggest finger foods, we do all kinds of smoothies here in my blender and I just load them up with high calorie, high protein things. That's the best we can do sometimes. And giving her her favorite foods over and over is fine. Ice cream for breakfast? Sure. Why not. Peanut butter, bananas, oatmeal, pureed everything. And one member used to sprinkle protein powder on everything, she said even ice cream.

I have the opposite problem as DH will eat anything, including not food. I have to really watch him. Was just changing his depends in fact and while I reached for another wipe, he picked up the tube of skin cream and started squeezing the lotion into his mouth (!). Aargh! And for the last few years he would eat food until his stomach hurt, not recognizing when he was full. Also due to his Alzheimer's progression. Sigh. Not eating at all or eating too much, both are problems right?

Good luck to you and your family.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/poor-appetite-dementia

Emily 123

Hello,

In stage 4 I noticed my mom became sensitive to the way food was presented. She preferred things to be separate on her plate and really wouldn't eat much of things that were multi-layered like lasagna or rice bowls. There might be a component of a texture preference? (Because she'll eat stew, but I think everything in that tends to be pretty soft and homogenous.) Or perhaps going back to the way she ate when she was growing up? I had better luck when each element was on the plate separately—pretty much a protein, and two veggie sides—she stopped liking things with sauces as well. That said, as the disease advanced she really just didn't want to eat much, but would eat cookies, dessert, etc. I had good success getting her to eat puddings and yogurt cups, especially the ones where you mix the little bits of cookies into it. Smoothies were a good choice too (Do NOT use probiotic yogurt like Activia or you may run into some bathroom issues). For some reason grapes have always been at the top of the list for fruit she'd eat. She used to like apples but as she's progressed she's stopped liking things that have a crunchy texture. A lot of times I could get her to eat more if I'd remove what she'd put aside and then brought it back with a little dessert — she'd forget that she'd eaten and so would eat a little more, with the dessert as the reward for eating her dinner—kind of like when you were a kid.

You may also want to talk to her healthcare provider—the dropping appetite is something they should be aware of, and they'll probably want to keep an eye on her weight. My mom's provider put her on Lexapro to help her mood and stimulate her appetite and it's worked well.

Jeanne C.

You've gotten some great advice above. When my husband doesn't seem to want to eat, I offer a Boost shake (presented ice cold, in a glass, as "chocolate milk"). He likes it and at least he's getting some nutrients and calories. You didn't say how severe your grandma's dementia is. You should keep in mind that decreased appetite can also be part of the disease progression.