My dad has not wanted to eat food for the past few days. How do I make him eat? Any advice?

Onice you work with hospice, as they visit, staff will guide you on how long he can last based on his intake

My dad has s3 ckf. He has lost about 30 percent of his weight in the past year and quit eating for about a week. My sister the surgeon wanted to reach out to hospice, but he still had and has all his adls. He’s since started eating some again.

My friend's sister, who had been mentally ill for most of her life, decided to stop eating and drinking because she didn’t want to live anymore. Her family supported her decision. It took her about five days to pass.

There were a few hunger strikers in jail in Northern Ireland a few years ago, and they were not force fed. They accepted water. My memory is that they died at about 60 days. However they were fit and well younger men before the strike, so that is probably a maximum. (It sounds a bit like Nazi camp experiments, but it did happen)

I’m glad you asked this question because I think my 92yo mom might be nearing the end, too. She doesn’t have renal failure but is near the last stage of Alzheimer’s. over the past few days, she has shown no interest in food and says she’s not hungry. She has taken to her bed for hours at a time, only getting up for perhaps an hour occasionally. She sips water but usually only when prompted. I have read the responses and will follow their wise advice and just let her be. Fortunately, we have said all we need to say, so no regrets. She is pain-free, which is a blessing. Thanks to everyone on this forum for sharing.

You DO NOT 'make him eat', my friend. You hire hospice now to keep your dad comfortable as he transitions from this life to the next. If you have not already done so, please call dad's doctor for a referral to hospice for an evaluation right away.

Wishing you and your dear father peace as you deal with all that lies ahead.

Please don’t force him to eat. His body intrinsically knows exactly what he needs and it seems food is not needed. We kept my dad hydrated with sips of liquids. Later, his smart nurse told me to make ice chips out of his favorite drink and he enjoyed that until the end of his life. Going without food is not painful but being forced to eat certainly can be, I’m sorry you’re watching this process, it often feels helpless and lonely. I wish you both peace

If he is in fact transitioning from this life to the next, he no longer needs food as his digestive system is shutting down, and it can be quite painful if he is forced to eat and drink. Let him be your guide right now, as he knows what he needs and doesn't.
I'm hoping you have hospice on board by now as they will better be able to explain to you what the body goes through as it prepares to die, and will give you peace of mind.
My husband during his 6 week dying process didn't eat for 41 days or drink for over 25 days, and hospice told me that he had broke their record of 5 weeks with no food. However that is not normal, as most people will die within a few weeks of not eating or drinking.
So the best thing you can do right now(other than get hospice on board if they're not already)is to make sure that you have said everything you feel you need to to your dad before he leaves this earth, as you don't want to have any regrets or wish you would have said something and didn't.
May God bless you and your dad during this time of transition.