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They are trying to give him the nourishing powder bags in juice. Any advice please?
They are trying to give him the nourishing powder bags in juice. Any advice please?
Also, I work with hospice. You can always call them in for an assessment and they might be able to give you some direction about what may be going on and what to do even if your spouse doesn't meet hospice criteria. As others have noted, sometimes when someone comes on hospice care it actually extends their life as they have a nurse coming in regularly to check on them and someone monitoring medications, appetite, output, etc. If you change your mind about someone being on hospice care all you have to do is sign a "revocation form", which removes them from care immediately.
Sometimes people with dementia lose their sense of appetite. That center of the brain signaling "hunger" is no longer working. They don't "sense" being hungry. Sometimes one's sense of taste and smell decreases with age. Food has no taste and isn't appealing. At other times, people with dementia forget how to chew and swallow. There are feeding techniques that can be tried to "prompt" them to open their mouth and eat, e.g., touching a spoon/utensil to their mouth/lips as a "signal" that food is coming in. Check with the Alzheimer's Association about such things, as others have suggested.
And yes, there are prescription medications that can stimulate appetite (in addition to marijuana which isn't legal yet in many States, or even when it is many doctors are reluctant to prescribe it.) We have hospice patients that they have worked very effectively for.
Finally, is there any chance your spouse might be dying? I wouldn't assume anything, but when someone is in the dying process the body starts to shut down and doesn't require much in the way of food and water. In fact, it can be painful for someone who is dying to have food and/or liquids forced on them. The body can't digest it properly as it doesn't need it, so it kind of sits in the stomach and can cause bloating and discomfort.
Call the doctor........please. You need and deserve help and support with this. Not an easy time.
Keep in mind however for the advanced stages of any disease, loss of appetite and refusal to eat is the bodies notice that it is to ill, exhausted and unable to maintain body function. In my experience, (10 years in hosp endoscopy procedures), feeding tubes should only be used for the young with functional eating issues such as recovering stroke. Hard decisions but the body is very wise, and we need to listen to that wisdom.
What worked for me:I ate my mother's favorite foods in front of her while we chatted.
I cooked her favorite foods and let the smell waft through the house.
I didn't take "no" for an answer about getting up, getting washed and getting dressed.
My persistence became such a nuisance to her she finally gave in.
my knowledge. Vita mix not helpful to purée large quantities.f May want to try combinations of food such as cooked cauliflower, broccoli,carrots, oatmeal to purée. Sweet peas/lentils and oatmeal . Etc. Organic red lentils great to work with and also organic split green peas.
Food. Keep liquid stevia to help with sweet taste. Proper seasoning with salt,a little red pepper, cinnamon to enhance taste. Organic flaxseed oil in pureed food along with the honey. Organic smooth peanut butter with banana for snack. Organic avocado and boiled egg pureed together using a coffee grinder. Bathe brain needs good fats. Research using coconut oil and other good fats to feed brain with healthy organic foods. Focus on lots of love and kisses and talk during feeding time. Make it fun and encouraging.
I tell you this not to scare you but to emphasize the importance of timing and urgency. And to simply provide information from someone who has been in the same boat and has also experienced the new age of medical care (at least where I live)...where doctors, nurses, hospice...give you very little, clear information or their opinion.
I wish you and your husband...peace.
Hope this gets solved immediately.