Is it true that Alzheimer's patients can stop swallowing or eating?

What kind of suggestions are you looking for, suzyQs? About food? About your daughter's frustration? What?

My father passed away from Alzheimer's/Dementia. He developed pneumonia in October which responded to antibiotics. Then in December, he developed pneumonia again which did not respond to the antibiotics. At this point he could not longer swallow. He had been bedridden for many months sleeping most of the time. Whether the not swallowing was due to Alzherimer's or because his body was shutting down, I don't know the answer, however, it does happen. My father fell one day while in the care home, he could no longer walk after that event. Most likely he forgot how to walk. My 83 yr. old mother, from what I can understand, is in stage 3. She gets confused with information, can no longer learn new skills, asks the same questions over and over again, and forgets what you said to her five minutes after you said it. She can still take care of herself but needs to be watched. To answer your question, I honestly think that yes they forget how to swallow since they forget how to walk. It all depends on how the disease is progressing in their brain and the cognitive abilities it is affecting. It is a horrible disease because you lose your loved one twice...once to Alzheimer's, and again in death. I remember one day when I was visiting my father in the care home and he was sitting in a chair sleeping. I tried in vain to wake him up for 20 minutes at least. I talked about my children and other family members but he would not respond. I told him I was going to go and I kissed him goodbye. As I got up to leave he said, "Don't go". I was so heartbroken because I realized that even though he wasn't responding to me, he KNEW I was there. Just remember, they may not talk to you but they know you are there!!

To those who have trouble swallowing: Soft, pureed food, known as a "mechanical diet" has been around for years. Hospitals use it, doctors recommend it. Even small bits of food get stuck in a patient's mouth, so switch to the mechanical diet. It's just as nutritious as regularly prepared food.. Start with the blender; put the food into it of like content ( such as potatoes) and blend. Remove, and then put in the meat and puree. Remove, and lastly put into the blender the veggies. ummmm. Remove and put all three on the patient's plate. give her a spoon not a fork and voila!

nearby help for Alzheimer patients in Bangalore, India

Dad @ age 91, suffered a fall which resulted in his admittance to the hospital. Nothing was broken, but he did have an infection in one leg requiring treatment.
During the hospital stay he started refusing to eat. In an attempt to feed him, he aspirated. After testing determined that he was having difficulty swallowing, staff recommendation was, of course, to insert a feeding tube. We were informed that no rehab/SN facility would accept him after discharge without this procedure.
Fortunately, a local Hospice accepted Dad and cared for him according to his previously recorded wishes. We do not consider that Dad was slowly starving to death, but instead was comfortably allowed to leave this life without medical interference that would prolong his suffering.
At first it was a difficult decision to make, but we are glad that we were able to grant Dad the dignified passing that he requested.