My husband who has alzheimer’s is not eating for the last two days.

thank you

At a certain point in her dementia my cousin’s appetite was drastically reduced. Then, it picked up again, though she continued to lose weight. Is there a way you can check with his doctor about it? Has he been assessed for Hospice previously?

Yes and are you making money from this endorsement?

My dad began eating very little of what would be called “balanced meals”. His PCP said to just give him what he will eat, which was ice cream, canned beef stew, and canned corned beef hash. The PCP said not to worry about sugar or salt, just to get something in him.
In as gentle words as I can say, the serious loss of appetite was a sign that things were advancing to an end. My mom looked in the phone book, called a nursing agency that had Hospice and asked for a referral. They came out the next day. The nurse was very, very kind. He was eligible and a lot of services were available- nursing visits, aide help, volunteer visitors weekly so my mom could take a break, regular visits from the social worker and chaplain. My dad had experienced terrible things during World War II that he had never discussed with ANYONE, the social worker and chaplain both told me that he had unburdened his heart to them. This made me so happy, thinking he did this, maybe, to feel free to meet his Lord.
The nurse did a wonderful job of educating us and taking care of pain management, although he had very little. He passed peacefully in his own comfy chair, in his own home, with his beloved wife nearby.
If you don’t want to consider Hospice yet, this is the time to make an appointment and talk with your PCP about the options for someone who stops eating- there are a variety of feeding tube options, also time to discuss DNR choices, if he doesn’t have an Advanced Directive. Hard things to talk about, but necessary.
Wishing you courage and love during this difficult time.

My Husband as moderate alz .He doesn't have a appetite like he used to and i always have to ask him what he wants to eat .. i know he can't make a whole lot of decisions but i want to feed him what He enjoys eating ,He also has candida in his mouth which makes it hard at times to eat, Loves steak but to hard for him , He had radiation about 20 years ago in his throat due to cancer so it makes it hard for him to eat a lot of things, deals also with dry mouth , anyone experience something like this ?

My 64 yo husband was diagnosed in 2021 with alz and dementia, and in the past 9 months or so his appetite for certain foods have changed and can't really tell me what he's craving or what sounds good so i choose for him and he seems to be fine with it all. He used to like alll kinds of foods but now he manages "simpler" food better. As long as I cut up his food if need be, he can still feed himself which i am grateful for, but I know there will come a time where i will probably have to feed him. I am now crushing his meds and mixing them in his favorite chocolate pudding and that's the only thing i spoon feed him....otherwise he just plays with it. As long as he eats something, I'm okay with the not-so nutritious values because i know he's getting something out of it. He doesn't drink as much water or juice as he used to so I worry at times about dehydration but so far that hasn't been an issue. Maybe try softer foods or finger foods? And I never put a time limit on how long it takes him to eat. I hope his doctor can give you some good advice on how to get him to start eating
Strength and hugs to you

How long was he on hospice before he passed away?

When your mom contacted the hospice agency, did they say his doctor had to be brought in to sign the paperwork? How did his primary doctor react? Did he wonder why you went directly to hospice agency first without his input or referral?

My dad doesn’t like veggies, but he still eats pretty well and we have to limit his ice cream. If he gains too much, his mobility will be reduced even further.

My dad was in Hospice about 4 months. My mom wanted to choose a hospice that was part of a non-profit agency. She wanted to be the one in charge of picking the agency. The PCP was part of a big medical center, with multiple practice locations, I think she was wary of any secondary corporate financial gain by asking for and receiving a recommendation. She also asked around, talked to friends, and chose one she felt comfortable with.
I don’t think the PCP would be annoyed or have hurt feelings that their input wasn’t requested if you go the self-referral route. Its like changing hairdressers- if it’s the best thing for you, you do it.
It’s easy to self-refer by calling one, the nurse will visit at no charge and do a nursing evaluation. If the person seems appropriate for Hospice, the nurse will explain what it is and the services that can be provided. If the person and family decide they would like to proceed, then permission is given to contact the PCP. Back at the office, the nurse will call the PCP for Hospice orders and arrangements will be made for the diagnoses and medication list information to be sent.
It’s important to remember Hospice is for palliative care, not restorative care. The PCP turns the medical care piece over to the Hospice Medical Director and the Nursing staff, who work closely together to achieve the Hospice goals decided upon by the person and family, as appropriate.

Think of childhood in reverse. He may not need as much food some days. He may need to be spoon fed. He may need less calories due to less motion. If he won't eat at all, that's another story

My Mom has moderate Mixed Dementia/Alzeimers and over the past 3 years has lost about 35-40 pounds as result of her drastically reduced eating. Lately she has stopped eating the foods she used to love. Each day is a different issue with eating.