Poor appetite but no weight loss?

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Bittersweet Asked February 2020

Poor appetite but no weight loss?

This has me baffled...Mom is 95, in a NH since a left MCA stroke on 9/11/17. Also has vascular dementia. Her appetite is for crap most days. Now and again she has a good day and eats well but the majority of the time she does not. Sometimes she will just have chocolate milk and that's it. I don't see her losing any weight. She seems to be maintaining. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Diet & Nutrition Loss of Appetite Vascular Dementia

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score 0 · Answer 1

My mother is 95 and does not need a lot of food to maintain her weight, as she basically does nothing. She passes on dinner and eats desserts, that is now her thing. Fine with me, she is 95, it is her choice.

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Thanks Dolly. At this stage there's no point in making an argument over eating.

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score 0 · Answer 2

A 95 year old sedentary person can survive on very few calories, my mom's doctor advised me to just try to make sure she got 1000 calories most days. Mom did shrink by the end but I'm pretty sure that most of that was muscle atrophy, although her arms and legs were skeletal she never did lose her little belly.

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thank you for your answer cwillie. I'll probably never lose my belly either!

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score 0 · Answer 3

Are you sure that she is not eating when you are not around?

My dad would be brought cookies and crackers with ensure at night. Probably 1000 calories worth of junk food. I blew a fuse when I discovered that they were feeding him sugar filled snacks every single night. He was being treated for diabetes, hello!

I would find out how she is eating when you are not present.

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I could bet my life she's not getting any snacks at night. She refuses everything. The nurses and aids tell me she hasn't been eating. Even when I take her home, she eats VERY little, even if it's something she likes.
I know there is nothing in her drawers to eat, I'll ask if she gets any snacks at night. Thanks for your input!

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score 0 · Answer 4

At 95 she doesn't need the calories anymore. She is not active. Her brain no longer tell her she is hungry or thirsty. Same with Dementia don't remember they ate and eat again. Some think they ate so won't eat.

Is it chocolate milk or Ensure. I bet Ensure or Boost. This gives her the vitamins and minerals she needs. The elderly do not eat like they used to.

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My dad could have chocolate milk when he asked for it.

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Poor appetite but no weight loss?

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