Any suggestions on how to get fiber into my Dad so he won't be constipated?

There are some excellent fiber mixes that can be put into smoothies with yogurt, water, fruit and other good things.
Great suggestions from everyone!
Carol

Did a doctor diagnose the cause of his constipation as a shortage of fiber? I ask because there are many possible reasons.

My mother is 96 and a dementia patient. When she's stopped up, I brew a strong cup of chamomile tea with honey and get her to drink while it's hot. Works every time for her. I learned this from a nurse's aide who said even hot water can do the trick. Another suggestion from nurses and aides is to heat up prune juice.

Have you thought about getting hospice involved at this point? They can be a big help and the stage of his dementia may allow him to qualify.

Blessings to you both on this challenging journey.

Another little boost that may help is Benefiber. You can add it to his food or drink. It is tasteless and dissolves well, so he probably won't even realize he is getting fiber.

Something else that may help him move things along is daily MiraLax in his juice. MiraLax is a gentle laxative recommended by doctors. It helps many people stay regular enough.

Date nut bread with cream cheese. Absofrigginglutly delicious, and eating it regularly keeps you regular. I've stopped and started 3 times to prove thats what has been helping both mom and me. I've got my brothers eating it now.

hi Garryowen,
Even in people who are quite old w advanced dementia, it's generally good to aim for a comfy BM every 1-2 days, to prevent belly pain and agitation. Agree w Gigi11 above: there are many different things that contribute to constipation and fiber may not be the best solution.

Fiber tends to be great for young and middle-aged adults, but if you don't drink enough water and if your bowels have slowed for other reasons (older age and medications both cause this), the fiber can just sit in the intestine and practically turn into concrete.

Prunes work in part because they contain sugars that draw more water into the intestine. This makes the stool softer and easier to pass, and this is how Miralax works too.

Then there are bowel stimulants, like senna and bisacodyl. You can get these over-the-counter.

I find that many of my older patients do well with a little daily senna, +/- prunes or generic miralax. You have to do a little trial and error and find out what works for your father; if a little more dairy does the trick, then that's fine too. It's possible that more fiber is what he needs but since many older people tend to not drink a lot, I would be careful about ramping up the fiber unless you are using prunes or miralax as well.

Good luck!

I was told not to worry cuz that's body slowing down,when mom only goes once a week. But I agree it adds to agitation and confusion..mayb keep a food journal see how much he is eating also what he is eating the most, may b able to add to it

It's a fallacy that people should concentrate on "fiber" . What will be helpful for him is to you evaluate his entire diet and make gentle changes that will improve his nutrition and bowel health. A healthy gut should contain natural prebiotics, probiotics, and a moderate ratio of protein to grains to fat. Prebiotics are indigestible food ingredients that stimulate (feed) the growth and maintenance of beneficial gut microbiota. Gut health is much more than just the small intestine. It’s almost as if there’s an entirely different digestive system playing out in the colon. The short answer is that you can change his digestive flora by cooking and feeding him a diet that can include apples, peanut butter, yams, whole grain/multigrain bread, lean meat protein, vegetables - cabbage, green beans, eggplant, tomatoes, the list is endless. Make a hearty bone broth based soup, rely on apples and yams for helping to get the bowels going and don't forget the kefir. Avoid sugary yogurt treats and toss the benefiber. This has worked for my mom for the past 15 years - she has no trouble, enjoys better health and appetite because of the variety and it is a great way to relax while cooking. When my grandfather was at the point where he could not chew, we used a baby food mill - it is a better option to be able to cook and blend everything. Hope this helps - it will take a few weeks to see positive results, but the toll constipation takes on elderly makes it worthwhile.

I agree with drkernisan especially the part about the intestine turning into concrete. Senna works well and is very gentle (no cramping). There are so many products to help with this problem. Also, I'm not sure if you remember the BRAT diet when young children have loose bm's. Bananas, rice, apples and toast. If your loved one eats a lot of these types of things, it may be causing a little more of a problem. Peaches, plums, pears are all good for laxative type solutions. Even cheese can be binding. Hope this helps a little. Good luck with this. All these answers are great and it's nice to be able to sift through them and apply what you can to your particular situation.

My Mother was always constipated, or at least having hard marbles instead of soft stools. She used to do enemas on a daily basis. She even started getting hemorrhoids too. When she moved in with me, we went to the Dr. He suggested Mira Lax (or generic) in the morning. I put it into her tea. Then a stool softener in the morning after breakfast, and 2 tablespoons of mineral oil every night. This along with lots of water helps her tremendously.

Check with the dr. and see if they are okay with a dose of Miralax (I buy generic at Costco) daily is okay. It is tasteless and easy to take with a cup of coffee or tea or whatever.