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No, at 94 I would think we have still at least the choice whether we eat or do not eat. And I would never hospitalize nor put in feeding tubes. So my question now is what understanding is there with MIL and with family as to what her end of life wishes are. Firstly, you would be utterly amazed at how little it takes to keep one alive at a certain point. Those who purposely stop eating in order to pass with hospice support and doctor's knowledge, if taking minimal sips to hydrate, can live well over a month.
You surely should OFFER anything you know she loves, perhaps easy to take puree, high protein puddings, and etc. You surely may think now to contact the MD and discuss palliative care and Hospice support if you wish.
But no, I would NEVER under any circumstances, force anyone to eat, against their own will. And at minimum, you could be looking at choking food into the lung and death due to aspiration pneumonia.
It is time to have discussions about end of life with your MIL, your family, her doctor.
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PenelopePitstop Jan 2022
Thank you. Other than sleeping a lot and not eating much, she's doing ok (considering). I see no reason to put her in the hospital, nor would we ever dream of putting a tube in her. I do kind of feel like she is in hospice at our house. :(
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Tell her if she won't eat, then she'll end up in the hospital and no one will have choices anymore.
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PenelopePitstop Jan 2022
Actually, when she was in the hospital she wasn't eating much there either and they didn't do anything like tube her. She's also very picky and they tried everything and even brought her those Ensure drinks, which of course she hated. But no, even there, they didn't force her. My husband said she was "playing games" and told her if she didn't eat, she wouldn't be allowed to come home, so she finally started eating! But now she's home and starting that again.
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