I work for a lovely lady (95). Lately, she's had a lot of gas and trouble having bm's. Any advice?

How long have you been with the family? The reason I ask is that, for me, what matters is whether or not you have noticed an actual change from the lady's usual bowel habit. If you think there is a distinct change, specifically, bring the subject up with your client's daughter, perhaps asking whether she has noticed the wind, bloating and constipation and whether it's happened before.

It's perfectly okay to ask questions and, if appropriate, to make suggestions; but don't start out from the position that the daughter is mismanaging her mother's diet - that will win you no friends.

Too much fiber (Metamucil) without enough water will cause bloating. I know from experience.

@susan12, it sounds like your employer might have a very specific medical problem though I'm at a loss as to what it might b. I am not a doctor or a nurse. But a combination of those three symptoms would lead also to complaints of cramping. I know that's what would happen to my system, and I eat nowhere near that amount of food. (In addition to which your lovely lady employer "makes me feel so young" with the three or more decades she has on me. Woo hoo as the kids say!

Are you your client's nurse, or her CNA? Are in a position to monitor her movements?
Would her "trouble with bms" include also the total lack thereof? Can you tell if she is constipated? Or can her BM, if and when it does happen, be described as more of a mixture with some hard stool and some watery brownish liquid mixed in and moving with it. I only recently read this is rather common when a bowl obstruction exists or is forming? Is your client incontinent? Has she always eaten like this? Or is it a new diet put together by a possibly guilt-riddeled daughter? Finally I would say of course she's not active. Just trying to get through her 95 year old digestive system is probably enough activity for her day. (I used to write and also do some freelance editing back in the "glory days" of episodic television,you know stuff like Rockford Files or PoliceWoman, not exactly literature, but the work allowed me to live alone in my little studio apartment at the beach and so I did until I met my husband. It was a lot of fun and a good learning experience though I've got to admit that nothing about this television work ever led me to believe I would some day write so easily of bodily functions, and bodily fluids and movements, slow or fast or disappearing, and al those other tales from the nursing home, so to speak.) As it happens I'm having to do detective work with my 77-year-old stepfather who for the past three weeks has had a huge first time ever spike in blood pressure, and a huge, possibly dangerous drop in pulse rate, as at the same time he has lost his appetite, had 24/7 nauseousness and vomiting, with the vomiting for the past week coming after drinking water and taking medication while being able to hold down light breakfast and dinner. Go figure. I've got him scheduled with his primary care tomorrow and a gastroenterologist the day after. The local hospital IV'd potassium and fluids and in two days discharged him with no instructions! That place is the worst. Believe me. We have a $187,000 bill for a simple pericardial window performed on my poor sweet husband to prove it. If you have a chance please add some additional information and we here at aging care will do our best to help you. Good luck and take care, madeline

Try the vitamin drops in water.. MioEnergy or other flavor drops in water will help them drink more water. I think the lack of exercise or just not moving as mcuh correlates with the gas buildup....It's not worth worrying about... Let her rest... Ask her doctor....Is it a health issue? Or just gas ?

About the gas -- I think it is an age thing. Many people pass gas easily as they get older. The only thing I can think to recommend if gas is a problem is changing the diet. Bran, beef, chicken, broccoli, cabbage, beans, and some other vegetables cause gas. Bean-o might help. Personally I don't worry about my mother's gas. She hasn't scared anybody in public yet with it, thank goodness. I've just learned to ignore it at home.

One thing you can try is adding Miralax (or generic equivalent) to her drink in the morning. Miralax is the laxative aid that doctors recommend to help with regularity. It pulls water into the intestine to help with the passage of materials. Giving water helps a lot. My mother likes the little bottles of water that you can buy at the grocery store. They are just the right size for her. I think they are 8 oz.

Sounds about right based on my 95-year old mom who is pretty regular. Getting her to get enough fluid (water, etc) is my biggest problem. My mom eats pretty small meals but snacks a lot on mixed nuts, cookies, popcorn, pie, and whatever I can get her to eat. She's down to 125 and holding (from her normal 160).