I'm Dad's full-time 24/7 caregiver (I'm living temp with him in his home). He will be 96 in a few weeks. Pretty healthy otherwise for a 96yr old but has moderate & worsening lewey body dementia. I can see him decline almost weekly. There's soooo much going on here, but my main issue these days with him is that he's loosing his appetite. I battle with him more and more to get him to eat. He's eating breakfast well but the rest of the day is a battle. If I force the issue and make his meal and place it for him to eat he'll say ok and 1/2 later I'll check on him and he's shoved his napkins in the food. Oh Dear God - what to do. I'm ready to scream! He's still pretty active, goes outside and tinkers with whatever just to keep busy I guess. Any suggestions! Or should I just relax and let it be? What have you all done when this happens! Thanks in advance!
Maybe call hospice and ask them if it's time for palliative care.
We all die.
At the point we get Lewy's, if your Dad is at all like my brother who at 85 got the same diagnosis, he is well ready to die.
The truth is that elders need little to nothing to live, to survive.
I would in no way attempt to change what my father ate, other than to keep it easy to swallow as swallow does become a problem for those with Lewy's. And I would let him eat as much as he liked of all the things he likes for the duration.
Now your Dad is 96 I think you should prepare yourself that he will soon be leaving you, and I think that you should make his exit as pleasant and easy for him as you are able.
Take care of yourself first. Prayers to all. 🥰
We were told she'd die within 3 weeks at that level of starvation, but she lasted another year.
Nobody forced her to eat anything, ever. Once in a great while she'd ask for a milkshake, but those shakes from McDonalds are not really eating 'healthy.'
MIL's CG's (the kids) were told not to push food at her, and they didn't. I cleaned out her fridge after she died and all that was in there was Diet Coke and some rotted hardboiled eggs. Oh, and mustard.
I know it seems 'mean' to not be able to get your LO to eat, but at some stage of the game, it's just not a priority for them. Leave him be. Just try to keep him hydrated and that's probably the best you can do.
I assume your Dad isn't physically active [like a lot of walking], if no, maybe in his mind he feels he is getting enough calories at breakfast, and that eating lunch/dinner makes him feel too full/bloated. And lets not forget, as we age our taste buds go on strike, thus some of our favorite foods no longer taste good.
He loves cereal and milk and does well with fresh fruit, like watermelon and bananas. We’ve just decided to supplement the food from AL with a few groceries like sandwich food.
He now seems to always want ice cream! Any kind. It’s funny and sweet. He’s like a big kid. But he’s 85, he lost weight he needed to lose and now needs to gain or at least maintain. If he wants ice cream, we get it. It brings him joy! I tease him…but he
his attitude is “ I’m 85 and if I want ice cream I can have it!” And I agree.
24/7 care for your Dad is a precious gift to him. Do take good care of yourself too!