My mother is losing her appetite and is spitting food out after eating it, then wiping the inside of her mouth. How should I get her to eat?

My grandmother and uncle did the same thing. It was associated with alzhiemers and seemed to happen a couple of years after their diagnosis. You need to seek help from alzhiemers specialists and try foods that are more tolerable for their senses. This takes experimentation - what worked with grandma didn't work for my uncle.

As for the phlegm - it could be due to many reasons - allergies, cold, sinus congestion or dehydration. If she won't eat food, is she getting enough liquids? Our sinuses always produce mucus to catch alergens, dust, etc in the air. Without enough water in her system she'll be dehydrated and the mucus gets thick and sticks to the throat and tonsils. Perhaps clear liquids like weak coffee, soda pop - NOT DIET this makes mucus even thicker - jello, frozen fruit juices scraped like shaved ice, broth - anything to get some calories and water into her. AVOID ice cream, milk - unless she'll drink it - these will also cause thicker mucus.