Try: Care recipients cr often experience issues with eating or loss of appetite the following is a list of possible causes physiological or medical causes dry mouth parkinson’s disease mouth discomfort from gum disease or ill fitting dentures vision changes – cannot see food or utensils properly chronic illness causing loss of appetite e g diabetes heart disease etc acute illness causing loss of appetite e g urinary infection pneumonia etc constipation causing loss of appetite depression causing loss of appetite changed sense of taste from age or medications muscles of jaw or throat no longer working properly due to motor abilities declining in advanced dementia hunger sensation from stomach no longer understood or received by brain due to brain changes in dementia side effect of medications such as antidepressants day and night sleep patterns reversed doesn’t remember to eat agitation environmental causes relocation to new environment poor lighting – unable to see food and utensils too many distractions such as noise people too much on the plate or table boredom may cause desire to eat all the time food looks or smells unappetizing odors in dining room such as urine or cleaning fluids depress appetite other causes no longer understand how to eat can no longer coordinate use of silverware caregiver not giving simple or clear enough instructions task too complicated feeling of being rushed by caregiver caregiver’s tension or impatience sensed by person fear or anxiety if the problems persist have the cr see a physician information references
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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Medical Physical
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Keywords: Eating
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed