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L
lyzbudd Asked April 2016

How can I get her to eat and drink more?

I'm caring for a woman who eats and drinks very little. She's been in the ER three times for dehydration. She also has Alzheimer's and she's getting weaker and more childlike. I'm afraid if things don't change drastically she will die. How can I get her to change?

AmyGrace Apr 2016
Its painful to watch. My mother never was thirsty. She seldom drank water, and would order coffee and drink maybe 2 ounces. She even fainted a few times from dehydration. I bought her little bottles of water and put them all over the apartment. She would take a sip now and then. Also, I noticed she would sometimes have a small glass of juice - maybe because it had a sweet flavor since as one ages sweetness is the one sense of taste that sticks around.

cwillie Apr 2016
Keep a cup of something always within her reach and remind her to drink once in a while. Whatever she likes best is better than nothing, so if it is juice or pop that's fine.

The same for her meals, small portions given often of things she likes, this is not the time to be enforcing dietary restrictions.

Look for ways to up the fluid content of her meals... fruits and veggies are mostly water, offer soups and smoothies.

Watch to see if the reason she resists is because she has dysphagia (trouble swallowing). With my mom water was the first thing to give her difficulties, thin liquids cause her to choke and it would come out her nose! If needed there are products available to thicken liquids, but a consult with her docs would be wise before proceeding on your own. This may also play into her not wanting to eat.

Finally, Alzheimer's is a fatal disease. You don't say how advanced she is, but at some point in advanced disease they begin to reject food and water, she may simply be approaching the end of her life.

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Eyerishlass Apr 2016
Have you pushed liquids? Not just a glass of water but maybe a bottle of cold water with a straw. Try the little bottles so the straw doesn't fall down into the bottle. You can get flavoring too. A few little drops of flavoring might spruce up a bottle of water.

Is there a certain kind of juice she likes?

Try popsicles. Or tea. Jello. Ensure milkshakes.

Get creative!

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