My grandmother refuses to at and when she does she throws it up. How can I get my grandmother to eat?

Thanks for sharing your good news, Laura! Not every day will be like this, but don't get down - you will find that there are more good days than bad days. Your grandma is grieving and as time goes by, it will be easier and easier. You are a good girl! Hugs to you.

Well I'm 46 and my Mother is 70. She's had stomache problems for 20 years. What I do is sit out 6 cups. Place two nice spoons of splenda, one shaken container of homeade vanilla ensure and then add milk whole milk almost to the top {lowfat is fine too}.Then mix it well. We freeze them. Take one out defrost one minute in the microwave.Scarp the top off to remove the access splenda. They are like shakes but have all good foods in them. Banana or other fruits could be frozen in the drink. I try to come up with new things too. Good Luck to you, Robin

Hey everybody thanks so much for such good ideas. They are all very helpful today was a good day i took my grandma out to lunch and shopping. Hopefully things can stay this way. Thanks again!!

I guess I need to know is she throwing up from medical reasons or is she making herself throw up? Ensure is a good product for a temporary fix but she should be encouraged to eat even if it's a green leafy salad. She needs to get vitamins in her.
Depression can be bad and if left untreated will only get worse. Vitamin D3 is great for this, Saint John warts and bananas too. Try mixing a banana into a blender and the ensure. Pour it over ice and it will be a great drink for your grandma. With Winter coming the blues often set in naturally, buy what they call full spectrum lights, get grandma on D3 and Saint John Warts and slip in a couple of bananas a day. This will help with the internal part. When she starts feeling better emotionally she'll start eating again.
In the mean time, you sound like a great kid with the love Grandma needs. Just be there for her. Does she know Jesus? Play uplifting Christian music. Casting Crowns and Mercy Me have great music. If you have high speed, our church, New Song Community Church in Plymouth IN has great podcasts to download and listen too. If Christian music is not her thing play what she likes, music can be soothing. Get her to watch something funny that you both can laugh at. Laughter is a great medicine. Remind her it's OK to laugh even though Grandpa is gone he's laughing in Heaven if he knew Jesus. He has everything he ever needed and wanted and in a whole healthy body.
Let me tell you as a young 54 old grandma, my grand children can lift my spirits in a heart beat. I love hugs and kisses, I love hearing how much they love me. I can't hear it enough. Be there for Grandma in whatever way she needs it. Good luck and God Bless You for trying to help.

laura, relax, if gram is comsuming 3 and a half ensures a day , shes getting vitimens and calories enough to survive. she might need to be checked for depression , try keeping lights on , going out into the sun, keep happy music, and movies on tell her often you love and need her, try to include her in your life by asking her advice, like which of my dresses, blouse looks best on me , what do you want to wear today? what stories do you like to read, or watch on tv. hug, hug, her

All of the suggestions here are excellent. But I know that your Grandmom cares about you too. Sit with her, and tell her how much YOU would miss HER if she were to die. Tell her it was hard enough losing Grandpop, that you would be VERY sad if you lost her too! Then just invite her to sit with you at dinner and offer her food that she likes to eat and EAT WITH HER! Small frequent meals and snacks that are easy to eat and handle are best. Ask your mother which foods are best, and don't forget GOOD MILKSHAKES!!

Easy to learn how to make, and if Grandmom helps, maybe she will be happy to join you in a healthy milkshake! Here is a weblink you can click on for healthy milkshakes and smoothies. But get help from your Mom or even Grandmom on what 'recipes' sound like the YUMMIEST!!

Maybe you can also get your Grandmom to help with the cooking! That always makes ME hungry. And it will give her something to do rather than just focus on her loss. In fact, why not ask her what her favorite recipes are, and see if you can get her to help you by making some of them!

Fresh baking bread (breadmachine) will make MOST people hungry. If your Mom has a breadmachine, see if you can get her to make fresh bread! OR... makes some homemade soup or other recipes in a slow cooker, its safe and delicious too! AND FUN!!!

OH.. and watch the FOOD CHANNEL. Get her involved by asking her if SHE ever made that dish..... or would she LIKE to make it?

We all need encouragement and you seeking out help is refreshing, and so very caring and sweet. keep on trying... don't give up!!

Oh my, is Grandma depressed and puking it up on purpose you think? She misses her husband, so sad. My Mom calls for her husband during the night sometimes also and missed him terribly, she in fact still thinks he is alive since her stroke. I agree a doctor needs to see her if she hasnt yet or she will lose weight. Maybe he can prescribe an antidepressant which really helps my Mom a lot. Also people with dementia lose their taste buds. My Moms doctor said (as long as she isnt diabetic), to give sweet things, the sweeter the better, You can sprinkle a little sugar on things or give fruit pieces with cut up meats, etc. You can also melt down 2/3 cup of bran flakes, 2/3 cup of prune juice, and 2/3 cup of applesauce which makes a great pudding thats super sweet . Add a little sugar if you need to after. This is good for them, keeps them regular and you can use it to put her crushed pills in. Keep up the good work loving your Grandma, maybe you wil grow up to be a nurse because of her!

Oh, you can sense if she seems to have 'gas"...belching, holding chest and neck like heart attack. It could be excess stomach acid, causing gas. Easy minty pills to take called Simethicone. If she eats popcorn, she can eat solids...apparently. What has that same appeal of popcorn. There are delicious flax seed tortilla chips, rich in Omega threes. Perhaps cornbread from Marie Callendar pie shop. with butter and honey. Use one thing to bridge to another. Mix ensures with the yogurt to have the beneficial bacteria and add flavors. Thos campbell soups in a can...soups in hand...the tomato soup might be tasty for her or the chicken noodle...what is called "comfort food."
Franco American spaghetti in can...that is another standard comfort food from her generation..macaroni and cheese. Good luck. Let's just hope that the digestion part is just from the stresses of recent loss and not something permanent. Ummm...see's candy, one of the squishy ones. Try little things and see pattern. hank you for caring and very sweet of you to ask for help.

Deliver 2.0, ask her Dr. It's a prescription drink, much better than Ensure.

You are a very kind and sensitive grand daughter. My Mom lives with me and sometimes has problems with taking medication. It makes her very sick and she doesn't want to eat either. It would be my advice to check with her Doctor to see if there is anything physically wrong with her. There are also medications that can help with the nausea. Your grandmother is very lucky to have you for support. Sometimes we don't see the true blessings in front of us. But she knows it in her heart.

You are very grown up and sweet, Laura. Yes, I think you are handling it right! You can also tell your Grandma how much you care and that she is important to you.
Drinking liquids, slowly, may help keep things down.
And it is usually easier for older people if you give them choices, rather than ask what they want to eat. Maybe pudding or oatmeal would go down easily.
Hold her hand, let her grieve - it has not been long that she has been without her husband. Things will probably will get better as time passes.
I think you are great!

my mom is on an all liquid diet of Ensure high calorie kind (now with Omega 3) mixed with Yogurt from Trader Joes (less high fructose corn syrup). to help her get fiber I use a soluble fiber (it really does dissolve). If she could stand the texture, I'd mix in some flax seed for the omega 3s and the texture for her stool. There are two things that I think help make Mom's protein drinks better also that they come from coconuts. Coconut water (not Juice...clear not milky) is the best electrolyte drink going, more types of Electrolytes than Gatorade. The water I use to help make smoothies thinner and easier to swallow. Also mix with juice. There is another product that might make a big difference in her life, and that is MCT OIL, which is made from ... coconut oil. You can also use coconut oil, solid white, but the MCT oil is better. Now brand is tasteless. Mix tbl per smoothie. The energy is burned more directly by the body and in the brain. some have great success in restoring memory somewhat and mental clarity. works for Mom!!

If you can get her to sip some herbal tea..Celestial Seasonings Wellness Tea-brand,is in most grocers..warm tea is calming,spirit lifting,&hopefully therapeudic for her..they do have a website,I see they have a "tummy-mint" flavor-it might help soothe&stimulate her appetite(she might want some honey to sweeten it)...also-Ginger's good for nausea too..you sound like a sweetheart your Grandma's very blessed to have you! :)

Hi Laura- Your Grandma may be having issues that has prevented her from eating much of the time, and I would think that you need to find this out thru her physician--and sooner rather than later...If no issues are the problem-you then might want to ask about an appetite stimulent-if they think it is the way to go.
Be patient with her in the meantime-be sure your Grandma is hydrated-and has the food supplememts like ensure or boost- (also check to see if your Grandma is diabetic)
My best to you in helping out your Gandma-and do get back to us in this forum,
Hap

i had a similar problem with my elderly father and his Dr. prescribed a liquid medication to stimulate his appetite and it was very effective. Ask her physician about this.