There will come a time when a person just can’t and won’t eat but in the months before death a bit of time and energy can sometimes be bought by eating differently.
Forget three meals a day! It is too much. Normal, healthy eating rules are also eliminated. Where we once watched fat intake, chlorestral levels, salt and sugar restrictions, now nothing is off limits. Offer whatever is appealing. Throwing out dietary rules does not apply to diabetic or heart conditions.
Begin the day and every two hours until bedtime with a ½ can or small fruit juice glass of a protein supplement drink, something high in calories. (See "A Time to Live" for a recipe to make your own supplement) Along with the drink, which equsls 4, 8 ounce cans a day, offer a small protein snack and anything else that sounds good or appealing 6 times a day. There probably won’t be anything they particularly want but suggest. Small is a couple of crackers with cheese, a ¼ of an apple with peanut butter, a serving of custard or pudding.
This way of eating won’t last very long. It doesn’t change the outcome. It is just a wobbly bridge connecting the physical body with the energy it needs to stay on this planet. When the body is preparing to die it doesn’t want the energy. It will stop eating. Not eating is part of the normal, natural way to die.
Remember always offer food just don’t force.
2 comments
Barbara
Hi Nancy, sorry to take so long in answering your question. I have been out of the country and just returned. To address your concerns. Even when the body doesn’t eat it makes poop. 19 days is not appropriate. I suggest you contact your mother’s physician directly and see what his/her recommendation is. You can call our office directly 360-828-7132 and order the DVD New Rules For End of Life Care. There will be two booklets included with the DVD which I think you will find helpful also. If I can be of help use my personal email barbara@bkbooks.com. My thoughts are with you and your mom. Barbara
Hi Nancy, sorry to take so long in answering your question. I have been out of the country and just returned. To address your concerns. Even when the body doesn’t eat it makes poop. 19 days is not appropriate. I suggest you contact your mother’s physician directly and see what his/her recommendation is. You can call our office directly 360-828-7132 and order the DVD New Rules For End of Life Care. There will be two booklets included with the DVD which I think you will find helpful also. If I can be of help use my personal email barbara@bkbooks.com. My thoughts are with you and your mom. Barbara
Nancy M. Moore
My mother is in a nursing home and is 90 years old. She has stopped eating and is having trouble swallowing and has not had a bowel movement in 19 days. I have been told that she has little intake so there will be no out put. So I started reading on it and am very interested in the information I have been reading from information from Barbara Karnes Booklets. I would like to receive the DVD Kit. I want to understand as much as possible as I do feel that mother is starving to death and that nothing can be done about her bowel movements. Thank you for any help that you can give me, Nancy Moore.
My mother is in a nursing home and is 90 years old. She has stopped eating and is having trouble swallowing and has not had a bowel movement in 19 days. I have been told that she has little intake so there will be no out put. So I started reading on it and am very interested in the information I have been reading from information from Barbara Karnes Booklets. I would like to receive the DVD Kit. I want to understand as much as possible as I do feel that mother is starving to death and that nothing can be done about her bowel movements. Thank you for any help that you can give me, Nancy Moore.