Two years ago my 88 year old mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia. She has all the classic symptoms or behaviors but recently - about a month ago - her appetite had increase twofold and she often complains of feeling extremely hungry. Is this a part of the disease or should I be looking for another explanation?
A couple of times my mother plaintively asked me "are we having supper tonight?" - once while I was still clearing the table after her full roast dinner followed by apple crumble and custard for pudding, which was a little demoralising.
So with your mother, if it's something similar, this could be part of the vascular dementia; but on the other hand it wouldn't hurt to get her checked out and make sure there isn't anything sinister going on. Any weight loss, any change in bowel habit, anything else worrying?
Sometimes there's just no "rhyme or reason" with what goes through their minds. And yes, I have gotten tired of fixing him food for him to then decide to nap or after a bite, him saying he really isn't hungry.
But every day he is still here is so precious to me.
So I've learned to ask a few questions or derail him into taking his hot cocoa with ice cream. A 1 ounce hamburger and he is stuffed. I'll make him a chicken leg "with" and he always leaves the "with" that was with the chicken leg. Doesn't matter if it's noodles or veggies - but at least I know I offered it.
I agree about asking her physician.