Any ideas for blended 'real food' drinks that will get her the nutrition she needs?

A dr can prescribe magace its an appietite stimulant...works well

Yes, we've tried several appetite stimulants and with no success so far. Thanks so much for sharing though. Every idea/thought is worth exploring!!
KJ

Thanks for the Ensure explanation. When I wasn't eating a few years back (stressed to the max) i started drinking Ensure. Now that I am back to eating I've used ensure in my coffee (yum) but I have really put on the lbs. How about soy milk; they have many flavors and soy is suppose to be good. Keep fighting the good fight to find something you mom likes and will eat. My mom used to love chicken pot pies but doesn't seem to want to eat them now.

I took nystatin regularly for a few years; i didn't have yeast in my mouth or a female yeast infection but the belief was my body was full of yeast and making me very sick. You might want to ask if you mom can stay on it. Mine was a powder that I mixed with water. I'm sorry you mom doesn't have an appetite. Try the meds someone suggested. My suggestion is to try a variety of these in small amounts so you don't waste your time and money on a big casserole for example, only to find mom doesn't like it. Gerber has graduate foods that i used to feed to my mom and she loved them. It doesn't cost a fortune either. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much for the ideas. I have started to 'blend' some meals, however, she didn't want to drink, so I've just been talking to her and letting her know how important it is to eat......sometimes when she's not even hungry. She has been responding to this for the last couple of days and that's a big 'breakthrough' for us. We'll see how long it lasts, but for right now....after almost 6 months of 'ensure' she seems to be coming around. There is 'hope' out there!!!! Love and Hugs to all of you!

Lots of people I know with dementia and Alzheimers don't drink but rather get spoon fed the water/beverage or thickened beverage. They seem to take it in.

Hi, KJ, I totally can identify with your mom's appetite issues. my dad has parkinsons and what I use is a product called Complete, an all plant-based protein shake that really tastes good. I use it in place of Ensure, in fact, every morning when he gets up I blend it with milk.three prunes, his stool softener, a banana and a bit of whatever frozen fruit I have on hand. Of course it can be tailored to meet an individual's taste, but for us it has been a lifesaver. Its the first thing he wants in the morning. So far we have been able to counterract the bowel block issues and the skin breakdown that is typical at these ages.

Bless you for you caregiving...

i haven't done it myself but many of my friends make smoothies/nutritional drinks at home with yogurt, berries etc and its in pureed form...i was at whole foods and they had even added kale to one receipe and it was delicious..i guess they call it "juicing" these days...and if needed you can thicken it with thick=it. in the meantime ensure will be fine and they have 3 flavors...i actually buy the store brand of ensure whether it be walgreens, cvs or rite aid. let us know how it goes. some people will drink if they won't eat.

lettydru, you mention a banana and then bowel issues so I wanted to just mention how constipating bananas are. Prunes also constipated my Mom, but not the juice. Her daily regimen is 1.5 teaspoons of miralax, 1 helping of prune pudding with her pills 2x daily (I make the prune pudding) pureed fruit i make and freeze, and 1/2 cup of warm prune juice mixed with a small applesauce before bed. If I dont do all of these daily she will get constipated and if she eats bananas she is super sensitive and got backed up easy before this routine. Good luck!

Hello to all of you and thank you so much for your wonderful messages and ideas. My Mom passed away this past summer. I think of her every day and miss her so much. I really appreicate all of the help and support I received from this site. You are all so wonderful for the care that you provide to your loved ones. Take care and here's to positive thoughts going into 2013.

Oh KjSpradin, sorry to hear she passed away, I see now the date of this posting and I wish they would delete old posts, sorry and take care.

Thank you; it's ok. I got so much out of this site, I can't bear to take if off of my list. I hope you will have a blessed and happy new year! KJ

According to me When people get older, they taste less and less -- but SWEET is a flavor they can still taste till the end, in most cases. My Dad will drink anything with Chocolate Ovaltine in it: I put in pasteurized eggs.

I don't have time to read all the responses, but you can puree all food. My mom is now on a pureed diet as she was choking on her food due to difficulty swallowing. So all meals - including meat and veggies are blended and given as a meal - and she LOVES it.

This works for my mom. Purée all food then for one cup add tsp raw white Canadian honey and stevial(has it's own measure devise tiny: use 1). Dash of red pepper (organic, not too much); high quality sea salt (follow directions for one serving); organic chilli powder, 1 tsp high quality premium raw unprocessed coconut oil(so good, almost addictive; feeds the brain lots of health benefits), and maybe one fourth teaspoon olive oil(also for health benefits). The key is to their need for taste (sweet and good). Also balance meals with vegetables, grains, beans. My mom enjoys her food...takes a lot of time for me and Now I,m pursuing weight gain in healthy way. Use the Internet to research.

Eggs, protein powder, ground nuts can add to almost anything!

Hi KJSpradlin
My Mother In Law has Alzheimer's and I have been doing shakes for her starting just recently. I also took care of my previous husband with MS for 20 years with feeding tube 15 years. I tell you this because I come from years of experience and really hope to help you.
I blend banana or other fruit to her liking, peanut butter(about a TBSP), one TBSP oil, one scoop of protein powder, I put all her vitamins and minerals (powdered) in as well. I use an ensure to give choc and more vit/min boost if I have them. If not I use hersey's choc. I put fiber powder in and her cranberry powder (for urinary health). I also make different flavors other than choc to mix it up a bit. If she isn't in hospice I would call a hospice company to come out and see if she qualifies, which I can't see that she wouldn't. I am in the middle of figuring out what exactly are my M-I-L's nutritional needs are and will put the shakes together according to that. Protein, fiber, fat, vit/min, and water are the most important elements in whatever combo that is good and tasty. Sweet is better than savory and cold is better than room temp. Also I shake some salt in the shake because of low blood pressure.
Hope this helps you! I'm so sorry you are going through such a difficult time. I wish you the very best.
BZ

Sorry. Just read your Mom past. So sorry. My post is way late. I apologize.