My cousin, 62 years old, who is in Memory Care Unit, (wheelchair bound,but can feed herself.) has lost 10 pounds in the last 2 months. She has Vascular mixed with AD. Symptoms hit her fast and she has gone downhill in the last year. Complete incontinence, no real memory, (still knows me and my parents) but still verbal and can push herself with her feet in wheelchair.
Her blood sugars are excellent, so that's not it. She sees a doctor regularly and he is not alarmed. She gets regular blood tests and checkups. We have discussed palliative care for her. I can see physically that her health has declined.
I have watched her eat her meals and snacks and she always demonstrates a hearty appetite. Eating is not an issue. She chews and swallows fine. I have discussed this with the Memory Care staff. She is eating the same meals and snacks she had since her admission there 9 months ago. During that time she maintained her weight.
Is the weight loss a normal progression? I have read that at some point, the ill or dementia patient, even when consuming enough calories, will drop weight. I don't want to try to force extra food on her if it is not helpful.
You might try the red dishes routine, as suggested by the Alzheimer's Reading Room blog. I am not convinced that red dishes work for everyone. Find really cheap red china and transfer her food onto it. See if she eats more.
The previous commenters are so right. You need to rule out a medical cause. Perhaps you need a second opinion.
I'm only guessing, but if she's eating well but still losing weight it seems as though she's not absorbing the nutrients from the food. Her doctor is the best source of information here, but one thought is that supplements that are made to be absorbed without depending on the digestive tract may help.
Good answers from every one here so read the whole thread and see if you pick up on something that may help.
Take care,
Carol
At this point, it's palliative care that I think is appropriate. That's the route she took with her mom and we had discussed it many times before she became ill. We are not doing cancer screenings and my primary goal is to keep her comfortable. Besides, if the dementia is causing her to lose, because that's just the progression of the disease, then we will accept it. I know that she cannot recover from this.
How often are you there at mealtime? How certain are you that the staff is really paying attention to her dietary intake? Some places will note that someone was at the table at mealtime, but not necessarily keep track of whether or not they actually eat.
If there is something else causing the weight loss it sounds like you would not be willing to treat it at this point? Either way it can't hurt to try adding some supplements like boost/ensure if she will take them.