Has your parent or spouse lost weight, a noticeable amount, as his or her memory loss has worsened?

My cousin has Vascular Dementia due to strokes. Over time she lost a great deal of weight, though, we didn't know why, at first. She lost interest in food, however, now that she has progressed with the dementia to the severe stage, she eats quite well. She has still lost more weight, despite eating well. She receives regular palliative care and there is no reason for it. It's just her body is not absorbing the way it used to do, even with extra calories. She is not underweight, but I expect that will come. Either that or she will eventually lose her good appetite.

I have read that it not uncommon for the patient who is progressing with dementia to stop being able to absorb the nutrients in the food, so even if the calories are consumed, they are not utilized by the body. I'd discuss it with his doctor, just to rule out anything else and make sure it's no food allergy.

I have noticed that most of the residents in the Memory Care facility where my cousin lives, are rather thin. The more severe their condition, the thinner they appear.

What he is losing is muscle mass, and all that ice cream is probably overloading his pancreas increasing bile which will lead to weight loss. Having dementia is going to make his body shrink, so there is nothing you can do about that except to give him as much and what he wants to eat for the time he has remaining. This disease is never easy on us who are watching our loved ones waste away. Keep loving him...

my moms memory care place told me last week she weighed in the 120's - I got very upset at them because she was 138 and they were supposed to be giving her yogurt shakes and making sure she sat own for her meals...
they also said her thyroid was LOW (not high) and I told them I wanted her treated a few months ago for that.
She eats every bite on her plate - she obviously needs an afternoon snack and a drink
The thing with my mom is that she, at 89, is always on the go.

My husband lost a lot of weight -- more than 50 pounds -- early in the course of his Lewy Body Dementia. Fortunately he could spare them. His loss was not in proportion to his decreased appetite. He was eating considerably more than one would expect with that kind of weight loss. I'd say his body was simply not able to use all the calories he took in.

It's not just weight loss it's also loss of muscle. Bone loss is another consideration. Without weight-bearing exercises, bones become brittle. The body needs exercise - movement, physical activity - in order to function properly like absorbing nutrients. And the colon requires stimulation in order to reabsorb fluids and process waste products from the body for elimination. Without both food and a fitness regimen - even 5 minutes a few times a day especially after meals - elders will continue to lose bone density, lose muscle mass, and lose weight.

ADCaregivers: One HUGE reason for an elder's weight loss is another loss. That loss is the loss of their olfactory sense. That's a BIG DEAL. No longer can they smell bad odors; they also can't smell good food. Thus, they aren't hungry. My late mother was hypothyroid, but she was thin! She should have been obese!

This issue has been troubling me so I did some research and found some good articles on nutrient absorption in the elderly. Some of it is lack of specific vitamins and minerals, some because of mlld or severe dysphagia, some because of inadequate water intake.

I think the underlying problem also is that the elderly aren't as active, don't need as much food, and even if they do get a well rounded diet, it's not always at the level of nutrients they need.

I've been wondering as well if part of it is attributable to the lost pleasure of cooking and baking, assuming that both men and women enjoyed this aspect of food preparation, or just enjoyed the process of having someone else do it. Meal prep is a major aspect of life that's changed in old age.

It's not quite the same to create something as it is to heat up a Meals on Wheels dinner, even though from what I've seen they're well rounded meals. Maybe some more sensory stimulation is needed? I'm going to do some more research to see if I can find foods that do stimulate appetite.

Looks like another issue to address in my father's diet.

Garden Artist: Ensure--only as absolute last resort. Read the label for its contents. Anyone can do better making their shake, smoothy at home that is customized to their loved one's preferences. At least two of our clients who are nearing 95, they react badly to fruit.
with all due respect, I perceive that you are sending posters down the wrong track with your theory. What I am speaking about is absolutely related to memory loss.
Other poster. Thank you for sharing your experience. I will do background research and when I have a clearer answer, other than my own observations, I will post it here. Some expert must know the answer to our concerns.

I found a great link that covers a lot of information, but we are not supposed to post links. I'll try to post it to you directly.
You may also find it by using key words "nutrition dementia international. It's an ALZ site that is 88 pages long.

It says that there is no evidence that supplements do much good helping those who are losing weight due to dementia. Hmmm.....it's a long booklet. It's very detailed.

Two things can happen. (well really 3 but we will wait on that)
1. As the person declines they forget how to eat or forget to eat.
In the late stages the body does not use food as fuel that way it did in the past so the nutritional needs are different. In particular as the person no longer is as mobile as in the past muscles begin to waste to the arms and legs begin to look much thinner. Then there is atrophy of other muscles, shoulders, in the back and in the neck and face.
2. In early stages the person my continue to eat thinking that they have not eaten. This can cause some weight gain. This can present a problem for the caregiver since it is more difficult to help the person move and if aid is needed for cleaning it makes it even more difficult. But as the stages progress they will begin to loose weight just due to atrophy of the muscles.
Last but not least...
The weight can stay pretty stable with diet and close monitoring. But at some point the weight loss will begin.
And towards the end does it really matter if your loved one wants ice cream for breakfast. If you are trying to keep weight on them give them a bowl of ice cream for breakfast. The issues of controlling cholesterol, and diabetes for that matter are far down on the list of worries. There is a good chance the Dementia will kill them before anything else, and personal opinion here I would rather have my loved one pass a bit faster due to a bowl of ice cream than linger another 6 to 12 months with dementia if that is what the outcome would be.