Mom has mild/mid stage dementia. She says she's not hungry and barely eats. She's losing weight. Is this part of her dementia?

Yes it is. I got an appetite stimulant from her doctor to give to her daily or she wouldn't eat at all.. Then she stopped talking, just laid there with stagnant eyes.. Then she left me :'(

Hi AbbyRose. This could be part of the dementia, however it is always important to have her healthcare provider do an assessment to see if there is something else going on. If there is a medical cause, with her dementia she may not be able to verbalize her symptoms/how she is feeling.

If she is cleared physically, then you could have her assessed by a nutritionalist who can assist with types of foods.

Other suggestions could be using small plates and providing smaller portions, she can always have seconds. As people age and with dementias large plates of food can be overwhelming. Another option could be fingerfoods. She could pick it up and move. One more idea would be to offer small items 5 or 6 times a day.

I hope this is helpful (and I apologize if this is a repeat, I didn't have time to read all of the other entries).

Blessings

Yes it is. It is quite common for those with dementia to slow down their eating. One thing we did with our father was strat feeding him things apple sauce, or any food that he liked, that would keep up his nutrition for as long as possible.

Sharon, one thing about scoliosis back pain that might just help. I have a 54 degree curve (ie quite pronounced), and my stomach can’t tolerate ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatories. After decades of pain and codeine, I found that one teaspoonful of turmeric once or twice a day, plus a bit of ground black pepper and ginger (I take mine mixed in yoghurt) provides quite astonishing help. It is a natural anti-inflammatory, currently the subject of respectable research. Apparently it can give some people diarrhoea or constipation. It tastes vile, so your mother might not be willing to try it, but after decades of pain it has given me a life back again. It might be worth a try. Constant pain is very wearing. Love to you and your mum.

My mom is 87, has some type of dementia, at mid-stage perhaps (going on about five years since symptoms were troublesome), and lives in assisted living near me. Since entering AL two years ago, she has lost 23 pounds--from 137 to 114. She is inching down a pound or so every month or two. She is bony and frail but insists she feels good at her weight and grows quite angry when I try to cajole her to eat more. I have the facility weighing her weekly and giving her shakes, but I don't think they do it consistently, and my mom just puts them in her tiny fridge anyway. She eats with friends at every meal but only tiny portions. She was always a good eater and overweight, so I'm not sure why she eats so little now. She doesn't seem to have any appetite but does eat at the facility mealtimes and when I take her out to eat--just not much. I don't know why--just as there are so many "mysterious" behaviors in dementia, ones that are useless to ask about because they themselves don't know. I suppose that as long as my mom reports feeling good (except for scoliosis back pain), I won't nag her, and at some point when she drops below sustainable weight, she'll have hospice care to get her to eat. I see the stress and then back pain increase when I mention her eating, so I don't. She's 87--I'll let her be as happy and concentrate on other care for her. I am puzzled, too, though, about her diminished eating and appetite and its possible relation to her dementia.

My Mom lost a lot of weight when my dad went into a NH years ago. She’s order food (she was never much of a cook). But over time she’s order it and not eat it. The. She’s tell she was going to order but never do it telling me she wasn’t hungry. I never knew my mom had dementia until a bad fall and it hit me like a bat out of hell. But looking back this was a start. And as someone else said the initiative to do things...my moms hygiene deteriorated too!

My 84 yr. old mom has mid/late stage Alzheimer's and diabetes. My dad is her primary care giver and they live in an IL/AL community with three meals/daily provided. I have noticed over the last few months her appetite has decreased. She used to eat anything put in front of her and would overindulge in any sweets within her reach.
Lately she picks at her food though she usually eats all her veggies, and if offered dessert she will usually decline it! She needs to be eating more protein but we've tried the protein drinks and she doesn't like them.
I've also wondered if her advancing disease has contributed to her lack of appetite. As with most dementia patients, she doesn't know if she's hungry or not and never asks for something to eat.

Mom had diabetes also and she also became uninterested in eating. She started losing weight and her readings went higher than normal for the day. She was also more thirsty than wanting to eat. Took her into the doctor and it turned out that she just needed a touch more insulin. That corrected the problem. In the meantime I fixed her smoothies that had whip cream (the liquid kind), water, vanilla protein powder, and a few berries, or peanut butter, and some ice in them. She loved them with the whip cream and the only carbs were in the hand full of berries, and protein powder. The calorie intake was great. About 600-700 calories. They were easy for her to drink until we could get the whole insulin thing back on track. Check with her doctor and make sure she isn't losing weight because she needs more insulin.

Yes, refusing food and lack of appetite is a natural part of dying, but the AbbyRose's mom is still living on her own, there is no reason to think she is any where near the end of life.

I agree with Arleeda that “loss of appetite is Nature's way of easing you into the dying process”. In the past, there weren’t special foods, round-the-clock cooks, and few people could be spoon fed. Elderly people faded away, and simple illnesses led to the end without massive medical intervention. If pills are needed for pain control or comfort reasons, they can be ground up (between one soup spoon on top of another) so that they are easier to swallow. Enjoy your mother’s company, make her happy, and let her go easily while she is still the person you have always known.

My Mom watched her sister force feed their mother. She didn't want to go through that. So when Mom wasn't eating enough or drinking enough, I would offer her some easy things -- Jello, pudding, and soups. She didn't drink enough water, her skin would get dry so I would remind her that she needed to drink water, or I would offer to make her a cup of tea (with some honey and lemon). Feeding her was difficult, because she was turning down what used to be her favorites. (Couldn't really offer her milkshakes because she had become lactose intolerant.) On her last doctor's visit, I was explaining to the doctor that she was having trouble with her pills, she would cough or regurgitate the water). He was going to have a test done to check if there was something wrong with her ability to swallow. Never did get the test done, Mom said she was tired and died that same day, on her last doctor's visit.

Good luck, many good ideas by the others here. But let her PCP know that she is having this problem.

My Mom recently had the same issue. It is part of the Dementia but it is more likely the fact that she's noticing she's losing her independence and can't physically do what she did before. Depression will have an affect of her diet and desire to eat; especially if she's eating alone. My Mom went from 150 to 115 in about 3 months but that also included 2 bouts of the flu. I took the advice here and there and applied it to Mom in a modified form. I make sure she eats at least 6 oz of food, high protein, for lunch and dinner because that's when she takes her meds. How I modified it was by cooking 2 different meals on my day off for the rest of the week. She loves her Italian foods so it was easier to add color to even the simple dishes by switching to the veggie noodles. The splash of color...and I think that I cook for her...helps to add variety. She loves the smell as I'm cooking and enjoys "getting under foot" by sneaking a taste as I'm cooking. This also allows her to add her touch too without the burden of standing all that time and then the clean-up. Trust me, No one wants to clean up after I cook from scratch...think of the Dawn commercial about the anniversary dinner...yah, that's how I cook. haha I also found Grams old recipe book and attempting them, mostly to failure. She didn't always add every step or ingredient but I'm trying and Mom's eating well. It seems to bring her mood up too. She said she can't wait for summer when I make my pasta sauce from scratch, especially since she has her own recipe for it and I always loved it. She'll only give it to me when I make it this summer. It's little things like this, if you have the time to do it, that seem to help their appetite. Just having me there is the most important thing but also she can give me her tips on what extra to add or try. That gives her even more reason to eat. BTW,as of her last Dr visit - 4/10 - she's back up to 130 lbs. I hope this helps somehow.

My mom ate very little as she aged, but she was at home so I was able to keep a check on her. My neighbor said her MIL was the same way and she just left food and when she was ready to eat she ate. They just like to eat a little at a time. I check on a woman who is very capable but in respite but I've seen that the care givers at this assisted living facility don't do that. It's a scheduled time and either you eat or you don't. That is so sad that they don't put a little effort to the feeding of the resident.

   While I am not a medical professional, I would assess it is a combination of conditions: cognitive functioning / decline / forgetting, disorientation and depression. My client, frail to begin with -  with a fast metabolism, eats less and less and sleeps more and more. She LOVES Sees (California brand?) candy - almond chocolates. I buy them by the pound for her and she may eat 4-6 a day, plus a few cookies. While she is on a salt restricted diet, she is getting much needed calories from the candy even though it isn't considered healthy, aside from the almonds, which are a great source of protein.  Avocados are also excellent source of 'good fat' - which my client eats just about daily (with tuna/cheese sandwich).
   With you mom, can you try smoothies / bullet drinks - adding banana, ice cream or whip cream - any combination that will add calories to her diet?  Of course, medical/nutritional consultants may have a different point of view. To me, as one ages and declining, key is to keep loved one eating foods they will enjoy while adding calories.  Keep her happy as possible with an eye on what could medically adversely affect her.  Gena

It's helpful to know that cognitive disorders can impact eating. My mom has gotten pickier and pickier over the last couple of years. "I don't like this, I don't like that....." All things that she used to eat, but she doesn't remember that. Her cognitive disorder is not severe -- she beat me at Scrabble two out of three times last visit -- and she hasn't been losing weight. Guess she eats enough desserts (60 desserts a week served at her AL community!) to make up for the pickiness about the entrees. This input is all helpful to me, as I have to provide care from a distance.

If your mom is on any medications, they should be reviewed by a pharmacist to determine if any may be contributing to loss of appetite, or affect her ability to taste. Loss of interest in eating tends to occur in later stages of dementia, and is called "end-of-life anorexia". This is when the body is shutting down.

My dad was losing weight like crazy living on his own. He later admitted that he couldn’t figure out how to use the microwave and wasbafraid he’d forget to shut the burners off on the stove. He was only 107 lbs. The doctor recommended ensure and he got up to 115 lbs. We moved him to a wonderful memory care facility and he’s 136 now! He loves that all of his meals and snacks are prepared for him. He’s enjoying his new life and loves that they do his laundry too. He also enjoys dancing again and this facility provides live music 2-3 times a week. They also have a shuttle bus and take the residents out for drives regularly. He’s happier and healthier than he’s been in years.

If you have the time I highly recommend making nutrition drinks at home, I use my ninja blender and it makes whole food smoothies. I use raw nuts, fresh or frozen fruit, some veggies and almond milk, dates, raisins or whatever I have on hand, at first I did small batches, not everything should me mixed🤤 then when I got recipes we both enjoyed I make enough for 2 to 4 days, store in canning jars, grab and go. Want thicker pudding like texture, use chia seeds or ground up flax seed, even hemp seed thickens. Be creative and use what she likes, you can find so many recipes on the internet and add items of your choice to increase calories, I also use raw honey to add nutrition and sweetness. These are cheaper and far more nutritious than pre-made canned drinks. They can also be frozen in proper containers.

I pray you find something that entices your mom to eat, proper nutrition just makes a body feel better. HUGS 2 u for all u do!

I guess I am not ready to die as my appetite is still very healthy at age 80. My ex-husband is in nursing home with dementia, healthy and not on any medications. However, he is not eating much, so the NH personnel have put him on Ensure. I think the loss of appetite is Nature's way of easing you into the dying process. I have told my RN daughter to not let them force-feed me on Ensure if I decide to quit eating. I wonder if I can put this into my advanced instructions?

Abbyrose:

Yes. It could be associated with Alzheimers. If the part of the brain that is associated with thirst and hunger is damaged, it could effect her awareness of thirst and hunger, among other things.

Here is some information with a link:

"Early on, they discovered that the body's primary “thirst center” in the brain is the hypothalamus, a deep structure that also regulates body temperature, sleep, and appetite. Special sensors in the hypothalamus are constantly monitoring the blood's concentration of sodium and other substances.Mar 16, 2008"

The Neural Regulation of Thirst - BrainFacts
www.brainfacts.org/archives/2008/the-neural-regulation-of-thirst

MIL has Alzheimer's and lived with us past 6 years. We have caregivers who are patient & can coax Mom to eat. Three years ago she quit eating for 2 weeks, & hospice came in. We discovered Orgain & she loved it (chilled!) and started eating again. Hospice discharged her. Now she is struggling to remember how to swallow solids but can do thickened water/soups and puréed food and still loves her Vanilla Vegan Orgain. We are getting less food into her now but she is still thriving on that Orgain. Bless our patient caregivers who come give me respite 6 hours per day and also patiently spend an hour per meal getting nutrition into her.

My 86 year old mother has a form of dementia which so far has only caused short term memory loss. However, this has affected her ability to cook her own meals as she has trouble getting started with meal preparation, remembering what she has or is going to cook, etc. The result was she started eating less and her weight started declining.

We have started bringing meals several times a week and freezing our own leftovers which can be thawed on busy evenings for a quick, easy and still nutritious meal. A dry erase board has a list of all the meals on hand. If time allows, sitting down with company seems to be the best solution to getting her to eat more. Ensure or Instant Breakfast drinks are good supplements but only if she can remember to drink them! We also make sure there are plenty of her favorite candies, nuts, popcorn, etc. out in clear containers and she tends to nibble on these throughout the day.

I pray you find a solution that helps with your mother, too.

Dementia is like taking a short cut through the forest that misses the lovely waterfall you went there to see in the first place - the taste/enjoyment of the food doesn't get through to the pleasure centre which in turn keep our appetite up thus a visious circle on the food department - others with dementia have other issues they struggle with that are not so noticable - her dementia may be deeper than you think

I’m going to say that it is a symptom of dementia rather then of getting old. Both my parents have lost a lot of weight since being diagnosed. Sense of smell and taste are affected along with memory of whether or not they have eaten. For my mom the milkshakes don’t work because she has issues with textures and consistencies of foods as well. Whenever either parent does seem to enjoy what they are eating, I let them eat as long as they want to. Ironic thing is, the more weight my folks lose, I seem to gain! I ended up eating their high calorie -high fat comfort foods trying to “ model” eating for them to copy. Finally, I’ve realized that this may be nature’s way of preparing them for the end of life. I offer food and drinks and even place cups in their hands but after a sip of liquid, they are satisfied. I’ve tried water bottles to carry around but they put them down and forget about them a couple of seconds later. Short of IV nutrition and liquids, not really sure how one gets another to stay hydrated or fed constantly.

Agree with others. It can be part of dementia, but it can be a result of other health issues - illness, dental problems, and even depression. Older people can develop problems swallowing, too, which discourages them from eating.  Plus older people do lose their ability to taste certain things, so it can also be a question of finding something they will enjoy.

I make milkshakes for mom out of meal replacement drinks, protein powder, and loads of ice cream. (Those drinks are not that great-tasting! The ice cream helps a lot.) I told her it was "doctor's orders," so she now drinks one per day, every day. It's not really enough calories or nutrients, but it helps, and it's in addition to the few things she WILL eat - basically doughnuts, crackers, cottage cheese, and sometimes solid cheese or peanut butter (on the crackers).  Her lack of appetite and refusal to eat "normal" meals is a combination of dementia, end stage renal disease, trouble swallowing, and clinical depression.

Rule out any cancer even though though her age can cause not to hungry. Give some Ensure or Boosts to drink three times a day. It has lots of Proteins and helps to gain muscles.

I think it might be. My mother lost over 100 pounds over a few years time. She was a big woman and could use some loss, but it seemed odd anyway. I was noticing mental decline, but her doctor didn't see it and neither did anyone else. I tried many things but she just kept losing. Now that she is in Assisted Living, the loss has slowed. The dementia is more obvious though. She is more inclined to eat when others are eating around her.

my mom did the same she could no longer cook she couldn't remember but the real problem was she had 4 broken rotten teeth which made it painful. we bought soft foods and she ate those. check teeth

Motherof5, my mother died 2 months ago. She, likewise, had dementia and loss of appetite at the end. I miss her so much. There is not a day goes by that I don't shed tears. :(

That is what happened with my Mom. Stopped eating completely-barely took in fluids. I would swab her mouth to keep her somewhat comfortable. She was in the later stages.