Is your loved one with Alzheimer's disease refusing to eat or drink? (Alzheimer's Disease) Let's talk about this

It's normal to feel very scared and worried when your parent, or loved one who is living with Alzheimer's disease suddenly refuses to eat or drink. "Why isn't he/she eating?", "Is something wrong?", "What should I do?", etc., probably come to your mind. In fact, this situation is very common in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease. But don't worry, you can manage this situation by understanding it correctly and knowing what to do.

What are the situations that require urgent attention?

While most of these problems can be resolved at home, sometimes they can be a sign of something more serious. If any of the following symptoms are present, the patient should be taken to the nearest hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately.

Why is this happening? What are the reasons?

There can be many reasons why an Alzheimer's patient might refuse to eat or drink. If you look closely at them, you may be able to figure out what the reason is.

Just think, if this problem suddenly appeared, it is probably not due to Alzheimer's disease, but to another cause. Be careful about these things:

• A new illness or worsening of an existing illness: A cold, urinary tract infection, stomach upset, or constipation can cause loss of appetite.
• Depression or Anxiety: When we're sad or anxious, we don't feel like eating, right? The same goes for them.
• Pain or discomfort: If you have pain anywhere in your body, especially in your teeth or gums, eating can be a pain.
• Medications: Some medications can cause nausea and loss of appetite as side effects.
• Changes in the environment: Changes in where they live, how they are fed, and who helps them can also affect their appetite.

Things you can do to help

If your loved one is not suffering from a serious illness, but is not opening their mouth or refusing to eat, try these things.

1. Introduce food

Maybe he doesn't understand that it's food. Let him smell the food, touch it with his hands. Then he can recognize it as food. Also, serve the food on a plate that is a different color than the food . Then the food will be clearly visible, making it easier to recognize. Remove sharp knives and inedible items (ketchup packets, tissue paper) from the table.

2. Set the meal and environment

• Give them the biggest meal when they are the hungriest.
• Feed at the same time every day. Then they will start feeling hungry at that time.
• Make sure the food is neither too hot nor too cold.
• Alzheimer's patients may have altered taste preferences, so try different foods until they find something they like.
• When serving food, serve it in a quiet place , away from noisy surroundings and distractions like the TV. Don't put too many dishes or cutlery on the table at once. This can confuse them.

3. Take care of your oral health

There may be pain when opening the mouth or chewing. Check inside the mouth for sores, redness, or decayed teeth. If you think there is a problem, see a dentist. Help them brush their teeth twice a day.

4. Food and eating habits

• Offer foods that are easy to chew and swallow , such as yogurt, applesauce, and pureed foods. Avoid sticky foods like peanut butter and hot drinks like coffee.
• If you are giving solid food, cut it into very small pieces .
• If you feel a choking or coughing sensation while eating, tell them to swallow a spoonful of food and then swallow it several times.
• Have them sit with their back straight while eating.
• You and it can sit together and eat. Seeing you might tempt it to eat too.

Health problems that can arise from not eating and drinking

Not eating enough can lead to two main problems.

1. Dehydration: Not getting enough fluids in the body. To prevent this, give them something they like and that is easy to drink. Try flavored water, fruit juice, popsicles, etc. As the disease progresses, dehydration can be a part of the end-of-life process.

2. Weight loss: If there are no other reasons, weight loss is due to not eating. If you lose more than 5 pounds (2.2 kg) in a week or more than 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a month , be sure to see a doctor. To help maintain weight, offer high-calorie foods such as milkshakes, protein drinks, and ice cream instead of low-fat or low-calorie foods.

Decision about feeding tubes

If this problem persists or worsens, you will need to decide whether to use artificial feeding methods, such as a feeding tube.

This is a very sensitive and difficult decision. It is best to ask your loved one for their wishes about these things while they are still of sound mind. If possible, get that consent in writing. This is called an Advance Directive . It is helpful to have someone like a doctor, nurse, or social worker involved when discussing this.

In general, saline tubes have not been proven to improve nutrition, reduce the risk of developing things like pneumonia, or increase life expectancy. They can also be uncomfortable for the patient. However, if the doctor believes that the patient will be able to eat on their own again, a saline tube may be used temporarily to help maintain nutrition until that time comes. It is important to talk to your doctor about this to make the best decision.

Alzheimer's, food refusal, anorexia, elderly care, dehydration, dementia, Alzheimer's disease