My father is only 68 years old. I am the only one around to take care of him. He doesn't drive, doesn't leave his house, and refuses to eat. He is on depression medications, and we've tried them all, and it doesn't seem to help. I dont know what I can do to help him anymore. He says food doesn't taste good. He has dentures. He is wasting away to nothing. He also smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day and refuses to quit. Anyone have anything they can suggest? I bought him ensures, and he drinks two a day, and that's it....
For the non-eater, look up all his meds online and see if any of them are known for making food taste bad. Some make food taste metallic. Read the label on the Ensure. I think it offers only 10 of protein. I buy Mom a 30 gr protein drink called Premiere Protein High Protein Chocolate Shake. At costco, 18 11.5 oz drinks is only $24, and all ingredients are more healthy than Ensure. I break this up into several uses per day, making hot mochas (with coffee, almond milk, more chocolate), chocolate vanilla yogurt. I always mix in a teaspoon of soluble fiber like Benefiber. This shake does not have many calories, which you can augment with chocolate sauce, mix protein drink with a real milk shake.
What you can try to do is parlay the shakes up a notch into other food groups. I can now dissolve and mix in a few ginger snaps in her vanilla-applesauce yogurt. From the shakes, I was able to get those Campbell Soup at Hand Tomato cheese soup, then use the container for more healthy ingredient soups. Mom's problem is from ill fitting dentures, not lack of appetite.
for the mother at home, depressed, start collecting DVDs that you can play again and again. Like Andre Rieu's "rockerfeller Center" program with the Harlem Gospel Choir. We have a dozen of his programs, and they can be watched one a day. We never tire of them. Mom claps and conducts along.
I was in the same position as you. Mom depressed and not wanting to do anything. Me stuck with a blithering idiot, to be blunt. I finally got her on Zoloft, so she had a spark. Then I had to create a whole world just for her OUT THERE. Find a park with a restaurant, befriend the counter people. Find a supermarket where your mom can drive the cart. Perhaps they have a Starbuck's. Again, befriend the counter people so they call your mom by name and make a fuss over her. I found that on behalf of an old lady, I can sucker any young mother with a stroller to come over and have mom googie at the baby, hold hands. Then I take pictures of them together, and show Mom the pictures right then...and then later. i am going to put a slideshow together so this will play on the TV set.
I originally got my first digital camera so I could snap pictures of Mom in the company of others. They showed that people still enjoyed her company, that she wasn't the horrible hermit that she had become.
At home, create a community of birds and squirrels. Even if you have a small patio, hang up a birdfeeder, scatter peanuts. Get a cat or dog or cage of canaries. I am a one person show with these animals, as I am always saying conversations between them.
I've been stuck here in mom's house for 8 years, and have had many of these issues to deal with. Last jan I started a blog, when I thought Mom's delusions were taking her down the final stretch. We got the delusions under control, but I did continue the blog, with many posts about squirrels, using ballet videos, etc. Google the term whendoesthegladstart and my blog will come up on top.
Good luck!