Is it normal for routine to change in dementia patients as the seasons change?
Is it normal for life style and routine to change in dementia patients as the seasons change?
Asked by sandyflo64
14 days ago
Since after Christmas my dad's habits have changed. He doesn't wake up or get up out of bed until much later, some times around 2 or 3 oclock in the after noon, dosn't want to eat or take his med's till then either, some times doesn't even get up all day and then theres other days he gets up take his meds and coffee but doesn't want anything to eat, and if he does eat all he wants are snack items such as crackers , toast, sweets, he eats a lot of toast and drinks alot of coffee when he does this. Doesn't really want a meal. So sometimes he can't get enough to eat sometimes he doesn't want anything. I don't know if this is normal or not, the hospice nurse doesn't really ever say much when I tell her about his routine. Just that it's got to do with the diseases he has. She doesn't seem to be too concerned about it. Any advice or suggestions or is it just normal? He's been with me almost a year now.
My guess is that it is not unusual to be sleeping most of the day and have little appetite. I take the cue from your father's hospice nurse since she doesn't seem shocked or surprised as she probably sees it very often.
My mother hasn't eaten food for over 6 months now. She only drinks nutritional shakes. I believe she forgets how to chew and swallow solid food or lost her taste buds for food. She hardly drinks water except when taking meds. Drinking anything else like fruit juice will make her throw up.
Your father's eating habit is much more normal compared to my mother's.
Anyone else with more information please chime in.
While my husband was on hospice he was sleeping 20+ hours per day. Some days he ate and some days he didn't. I gave him exactly what he felt like eating. He liked Popsicles. There really is no harm in Dad eating crackers, sweets, and lots of toast.