My precious mama 86 years old with vascular dementia refuses to drink (water, juice,…)
we tried straw, infant squeezable bottles but she spits it out
sometimes the straw works, sometimes spoon drinking works while in the flow of eating. Like one spoon food and the other a thick liquid, soup or even milk. But that can’t make up for the amount of fluids she needs daily (at least 1.5 lt)
somtimes we had to our IV drip to compensate but that can’t be a lifestyle.
any ideas
Water was the first thing my mom began to have difficulty with, years before she needed her diet modified and years before end of life. Your mama may be able to manage a few sips during meals because it's not sustained swallowing like a glass of something would be. Even if you don't want to do a swallow study I encourage you to at least try the thickeners, you've got nothing to lose.
It sounds like you are doing the best you can for your mom. If she is near the end of her life, she may not be hungry or thirsty and this is a normal occurrence.
Best wishes to you and your mother.
Forcing, cajoling and all the other things we try, have no real purpose. Let her be.
you would still do it, right? Force, or come up with ideas that can help,…
my struggle isn’t with the ideas but more with the pressure I am under and put her under - to drink,
sometimes I think wouldn’t it be better if I enjoy these moments peacefully with her rather than all this pressure!
but then I say why “either or”, why not “both and”,…. It is a real struggle and tension
not sure if I can graduate from it.
I would ask her doctor to order a swallowing test, and take things from there.
Best wishes.
when I give rice pudding - I do - 2 spoons puding and 2 spoons milk and she takes it.
but if I try to give her milk by itself in a bottle, cup or even a spoon, she doesn’t take it