Dementia and Not Eating: Very concerned

Sure. He was eating shredded deli turkey but refuses it now. Did I mention that he has set up a schedule for me to also get him madeleines twice a week and two lemon tarts for the other 2 days when his carer is with him. He works hard to set up these schedules for himself.

Thank you, Amanda for the list.

Update on the eating issues. Foods are a moving target in our house. Burt too was worried cause he felt weak. I convinced him to let the speech therapist help us with his chewing and swallow issues. We are scheduling her for next month [putting appointments in the future is a Burt specialty.] He has dropped madeleines limited eggs and taken up baked beans.
One day into the new regimen he is tired of beans and hates applesauce. Had some peach yesterday but off it today. Can't wait to see speech therapist again!

Tamara, congrats on getting the appointment with the speech therapist! @hopeful33250 may have some tips to offer on what to ask the speech therapist or how to prepare I, for one, will be very interested to hear what you learn. I know waiting is hard, but it sounds like you and Burt are having small wins with food. Good luck with the moving targets.

Thank you, Colleen.

Hi @tamarab,

I'm so glad that Colleen, @colleenyoung, mentioned me in this post. I have Parkinson's but also a paralyzed vocal cord considered idiopathic (meaning that doctors don't know the cause). I've had surgery on the vocal cord to help it close better and I have speech therapy on a yearly basis to tune up my speech and swallowing efforts.

Speech therapists are among my favorite in the medical field because they can really make a difference in all things involving the speech and swallowing process. While you are waiting for your husband's appointment with the speech therapist here are some exercises from Youtube that he might try out to help him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB3tSaiEbNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IosOtysSgfE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOPqj9eIyjc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IlIWYu8p10

I would be interested in hearing how your husband is doing. Will you post again?

Thank you. I look forward to the speech therapist appointment as well.

Having lived with Early Onset dementia for 4 yrs., i can say i have lost my sense of taste & smell which is very common in dementia.
So i use ALOT of spices:
NUTMEG & CINNAMON for breakfast in cereals & toast which are also good for the brain!
Curcurmin & Ground Cayenne Pepper for lunch & dinner which are also good for the brain!!!

Hello:
I am in a similar situation. Over the last few years I have lost my sense of tasted smell. This can be challenging because mostly what I get is sweet, sour, bitter, spicy - with very little taste. All I really have is my memory of what the food tastes like so I try to concentrate on that.
My wife will ask me how it tastes - my standard answer these days is "nothing objectionable".
I like your ideas about adding more spices.
Sometimes the thought of food turns me off. Having to deal with no test and weird textures of food can be a bit overwhelming - if that makes sense.

When I was in the Navy, we would go to chow and there was always a group of bottles on the table. We called that bottled flavor!!!

I hve wondered if others having problems eating or appetite - if they have issues with taste and smell.
It can definitely affect your appetite and lend to being picky about which foods are good - today (same stuff might be a turnoff tomorrow). Some of us have a harder time communicating this. If your loved one isn't eating much - maybe this is a contributing factor?

Peace
Larry H

Excellent resources!! Either of the Lee Silverman programs (LSVT) - Big and Loud are both excellent. The therapists have to be certified in it to teach it so the standards are pretty high.

Peace
Larry H