Grandma is 98 and is angry that her body forgot to give up. She said yesterday that she thinks the staff at the nursing home are peeing in her food. Before she was complaining that the other patient in the room was being investigated by the police for murder. I think the newest complaint about the pee in the food is her way of making an excuse to not eat. She is down to 85 lbs. My father and I both tell her that she is mistaken and have even offered to taste the food for her if it makes her feel better. I feel so sad for her. I know she is ready to go but her body just won't give up.
My experience with my own elderly mother backs up what blannie said about the sense of taste fading with age. I've experimented with adding stronger flavors to Mom's foods and she reacts well. Of course I don't TELL her, for example, that I've added dill pickle to her chicken salad because in her own mind she never liked pickles and never will.
Meanwhile, Grandma is alive -- as are we all -- because we're supposed to be. The last thing she needs is for her loved ones to join her in seeing life as a burden. Blessings to all of you for the strength to take a positive approach.
Does she have some dementia? Paranoia is often a side effect of dementia, so that may be what's going on too. If that's the case, I don't know that you can do much about that. Reassuring her is OK in the moment, but since her brain is affected if she does have dementia, nothing is likely to change that for the long-term.
My mothers appetite keeps getting smaller and smaller so we put her on Megace which is a liquid they drink to increase appetite (1tsp full is all). Taste buds also diminish so nothing tastes good. Bring her in some treats!