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asdjvs Asked April 4, 2024

He eats but recently he's spitting out food. Any idea why this happened?

My family has been taking care of my grandpa since we went home a while back. I am usually the one who takes care of his food. At first, I had no problems giving him any kind of food. He would perfectly finish it. Recently he was admitted home on meds, so I understand that his appetite decreased. Recently, his mood towards food is different. Sometimes he wants to eat this and that, and we give him what he wants, but he can't finish it. Which is fine with me as long as he puts food in his stomach, that's not a problem at all. I gave him some tender pork (just a small slices for him to eat and it's not that hard to chew either) earlier for his lunch, and suddenly he doesn't chew that much (it just happened now). He eats the first bite but the second one, he spits out. So, I opted to give him an apple just to fill his stomach, again he spit it out. This is just new to me since it just happened recently. Is it better to give him liquid food all the time? I give him food at the same time every day for him to get that routine that he should eat when it's time already. Usually it's breakfast-snack-lunch-snack-dinner format.

KNance72 Apr 4, 2024
Give him soft Food - Yoghurt , rice , soft cheeses , ice cream, smashed squash , Mashed Potatoes . He is having trouble chewing and swallowing . You May want to tell his doctor but stay away from hard foods Like meat and apples . You dont want him choking .

Grandma1954 Apr 4, 2024
Try mincing the food very small. If that does not work then try pureeing the food.
If you notice that he is having problems with "thin" foods like broth, water, milk, coffee and the like then thin foods may have to be thickened. There are products that can be added that will thicken liquids. You can thicken anywhere from a nectar thick to pudding thick if he needs that.
This is something that should be discussed with his doctor if this is a recent occurrence.

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AlvaDeer Apr 9, 2024
This may be a swallow deficit (discuss with MD) and he may need a swallow evaluation.
You sound as tho you should have/could benefit with a nutrition consult. The answer now, with aging, is not to force the issue of food. Elders need very little to sustain life. It is a matter more of what they can:
A) tolerate and handle.
B) what they love (milkshakes with a little extra protein powder or made with ensure?)
C) what they WANT.
You are basically talking end of life care once you are being fed. The goal is comfort and joy.

So you are on for speaking with MD as first step.
Wishing you luck.
Wendsong Apr 9, 2024
It could be a number of things. My mother eventually lost the ability ("forgot how") to swallow. You definitely need to consult a medical professional.
Chickie1 Apr 9, 2024
My Mom (95) will also spit out foods hard to chew, meat, crunchy veggies. She will eat meat cut very small and in a gravy, she eats soft foods (potatoes, soft veggies, ice cream, etc.) And she loves potato chips.
Someone mentioned the thick it thickener. My mother hated it and rarely would drink it and was starting to dehydrate. For her, a cup with a top and straw for regular liquids, water and juice worked very well.
Best wishes.
CaringWifeAZ Apr 9, 2024
Thick it is horrible in liquids! I found a clear thickener, Thicken Up Clear, made by Nestle, or Hormel's version, Thick & Clear.
Both mix up nicely in liquid, giving a texture like Jello that isn't quite set yet.
CaringWifeAZ Apr 9, 2024
He could have developed dysphagia, a difficulty swallowing and possibly difficulty chewing food adequately, leading to choking risk.
Give soft foods if he will tolerate that. Also thickened liquids. Its best to consult with a speech therapist, as they will determine if swallowing can be done safely.

He may simply need to eat less. And his tastes may have changed. Don't push him to eat if he doesn't want to. Talk with his primary doctor about it.

NeedHelpWithMom Apr 9, 2024
It could be a swallowing issue but it could also be a dental problem. Does he complain about his teeth hurting?

I made smoothies for my mom when she started having issues with eating. Soft food like scrambled eggs, soups, mashed potatoes, avocados, oatmeal, yogurt, fish, etc. worked fairly well for my mom.

Also, appetites start to diminish as a person ages. They lose their taste buds and aren’t as hungry, so they eat less and less.

Fawnby Apr 9, 2024
I love routine, but please keep in mind that taking care of an elder isn’t like caring for a toddler. Elders sometimes aren’t able to make new brain connections in order to learn as toddlers do. We can train toddlers, but forget about training elders. It’s a whole different thing.

Llamalover47 Apr 9, 2024
asdjvs: It could be a number of issues at play. Swallowing and teeth problems are perhaps an issue.

Fawnby Apr 9, 2024
His stomach may not empty completely. If you suspect that, there’s a gastric emptying test for it.

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