Offer small, snack like meals 6x a day rather than 3 larger meals a day. Very old people don't like to eat full meals anymore, as a rule, so change your way of looking at things to meet her new eating habits.
Fruits cut up into chunks with small cubes of cheese (always try to offer protein with carbs for blood sugar stabilization purposes due to diabetes)
Greek yoghurt with toast/jam
Pb & j sandwich
Smoothies with a scoop of protein powder thrown in
Cut up crudite with ranch dressing and Turkey slices, rolled up
Discuss with doctor. We don't know "her" or anything about her because you haven't told us anything. If she is aging, do understand that appetite decreases and sleeping increases and there's little to do about that. Given there isn't a lot of physical expenditure your loved one may do just fine of very minimal calories. If you are finding that she is losing weight rapidly you may wish to discuss this with MD and request a nutrition consult.
Remember, Joan Didion lived for decades at about 70# (poor Joan. I think she gets skinnier every time I write about her).
You are the one to best know if there are special things such as milkshakes with chocolate ensure that would pique her appetite.
My mother is 95 and is extremely thin now, she is probably 100 pounds. She is in a wheelchair in a SNF. I buy her snacks she likes. She eats a few bites but no more than that. But aside from a diminished appetite, she is healthy.
I'm not concerned about her lack of appetite and don't make a big deal about it. I just bring her what she likes to eat and she eats what she wants of it.
When she stops eating I'm not going to force her to eat if she no longer wants to.
Oh gosh, your mom is 95. My mother hardly ate anything as she got older. They seem to get skinnier and skinnier as they age.
I served Mom food on lunch sized plates. An ordinary dinner plate seemed to overwhelm her. She would automatically say, “I can’t possibly eat that much food!” She nibbled here and there.
I managed to get her to drink smoothies once in a while.
Many older people lose their appetite and taste for food.
A few questions. 1. Has she seen a doctor lately? 2. Was her doctor concerned about her weight? 3. Has she lost a significant amount of weight in the past 1, 2, 3 months? 4. Has she ever had a weight problem in the past? Has she ever been diagnosed or suspected of having anorexia? 5. Is she eating at all, or are you just concerned she is not eating as much as you think she should?
As people age and become less active the caloric need changes. You would not want her consuming the same number of calories that you do if she is not expending the number of calories that you do on a day to day basis.
If you are concerned make an appointment with her doctor and discuss her weight, what she should weigh and if necessary discuss any supplements that she can take.
You can increase calories by offering high caloric foods. Main meals with higher calorie sides. Ice cream, puddings, cakes, cookies
Your profile says that you're caring for your mother who is 95 years old. Most folks at her age don't eat a whole lot. Is she having problems swallowing, or are her teeth bothering her, preventing her from being able to eat properly? If neither of those issues exist, then I would just let her eat whatever she wants and perhaps give her a high calorie Boost or Ensure each day. I'm sure at 95 that her body is tired and may be getting ready to leave this world for the next. You may want to think about bringing hospice on board as well.
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/reasons-why-your-aging-parent-may-not-be-eating-properly-and-what-you-can-do-about-it-133239.htm
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/pro-tips-sneaking-calories-nutrients-into-a-seniors-diet-208396.htm
Fruits cut up into chunks with small cubes of cheese (always try to offer protein with carbs for blood sugar stabilization purposes due to diabetes)
Greek yoghurt with toast/jam
Pb & j sandwich
Smoothies with a scoop of protein powder thrown in
Cut up crudite with ranch dressing and Turkey slices, rolled up
Soup and crackers
Leftover dinner in small crock
Etc.
Good luck
We don't know "her" or anything about her because you haven't told us anything.
If she is aging, do understand that appetite decreases and sleeping increases and there's little to do about that.
Given there isn't a lot of physical expenditure your loved one may do just fine of very minimal calories.
If you are finding that she is losing weight rapidly you may wish to discuss this with MD and request a nutrition consult.
Remember, Joan Didion lived for decades at about 70# (poor Joan. I think she gets skinnier every time I write about her).
You are the one to best know if there are special things such as milkshakes with chocolate ensure that would pique her appetite.
It really doesn't take much for the human body to 'survive' when you are not expending calories.
Nobody pushed anything on her, so she ate what she wanted and still lived under hospice care for a year.
If she overate, she'd throw up and that became a problem.
Just leave her be. Keeping her as hydrated as possible is the best thing you can do--getting most of her calories via BOOST type drinks.
I'm not concerned about her lack of appetite and don't make a big deal about it. I just bring her what she likes to eat and she eats what she wants of it.
When she stops eating I'm not going to force her to eat if she no longer wants to.
I served Mom food on lunch sized plates. An ordinary dinner plate seemed to overwhelm her. She would automatically say, “I can’t possibly eat that much food!” She nibbled here and there.
I managed to get her to drink smoothies once in a while.
Many older people lose their appetite and taste for food.
1. Has she seen a doctor lately?
2. Was her doctor concerned about her weight?
3. Has she lost a significant amount of weight in the past 1, 2, 3 months?
4. Has she ever had a weight problem in the past? Has she ever been diagnosed or suspected of having anorexia?
5. Is she eating at all, or are you just concerned she is not eating as much as you think she should?
As people age and become less active the caloric need changes. You would not want her consuming the same number of calories that you do if she is not expending the number of calories that you do on a day to day basis.
If you are concerned make an appointment with her doctor and discuss her weight, what she should weigh and if necessary discuss any supplements that she can take.
You can increase calories by offering high caloric foods. Main meals with higher calorie sides. Ice cream, puddings, cakes, cookies
Is she having problems swallowing, or are her teeth bothering her, preventing her from being able to eat properly?
If neither of those issues exist, then I would just let her eat whatever she wants and perhaps give her a high calorie Boost or Ensure each day.
I'm sure at 95 that her body is tired and may be getting ready to leave this world for the next.
You may want to think about bringing hospice on board as well.