Thanks for the info. She is on Hospice and the MC staff feed her. I have stopped, because, I'm afraid to. I don't want to feed her and then her start choking or coughing. I think I'll just leave it up to them from now on.
The staff tells me that she still has good appetite......it's just...I don't know. I'm not sure how. It's so disconcerting.
It is difficult to see someone not eating the way they used to. "WE" are conditioned with food. You have a cold or the flu..Eat this, it will make you feel better. You are sad, you eat ice cream or a cookie, it makes you feel better. You have a birthday, anniversary and most of the time you are asked where do you want to go eat, what kind of cake do you want. You love someone you make their favorite food, So in our minds LOVE=FOOD, Nurturing=food, happiness=food. So when our loved ones stop eating it is hard to accept. We can not grasp the idea that the body no longer needs food. And the thought that giving someone food could actually do harm is a difficult one to fully understand. Just hold your mom's hand, tell her you love her and just be there for her. ((hugs)) for both of you.
You raise the head of the bed. Also raise the foot of the bed so they do not slide to the bottom of the bed. Very easy if there is a Hospital bed. When a person is at this stage the food that is generally eaten is pureed and if necessary thickened so that will prevent or at least minimize aspiration. If you notice the food is not going down well you stop and try to clear the mouth with swabs NEVER your fingers. You can also place the person on their side if they begin to choke or cough. This will help keep the airway clear. Small amounts of food over a long period of time. If you have Hospice they will help you get used to this type of process.
The staff tells me that she still has good appetite......it's just...I don't know. I'm not sure how. It's so disconcerting.
"WE" are conditioned with food. You have a cold or the flu..Eat this, it will make you feel better. You are sad, you eat ice cream or a cookie, it makes you feel better. You have a birthday, anniversary and most of the time you are asked where do you want to go eat, what kind of cake do you want. You love someone you make their favorite food, So in our minds LOVE=FOOD, Nurturing=food, happiness=food.
So when our loved ones stop eating it is hard to accept. We can not grasp the idea that the body no longer needs food. And the thought that giving someone food could actually do harm is a difficult one to fully understand.
Just hold your mom's hand, tell her you love her and just be there for her.
((hugs)) for both of you.
When a person is at this stage the food that is generally eaten is pureed and if necessary thickened so that will prevent or at least minimize aspiration.
If you notice the food is not going down well you stop and try to clear the mouth with swabs NEVER your fingers.
You can also place the person on their side if they begin to choke or cough. This will help keep the airway clear.
Small amounts of food over a long period of time.
If you have Hospice they will help you get used to this type of process.