Hi to you all and I am so glad I found this board.
I just took over the care of my dad about 10 months ago after mom died in December. In April, I had to take dad to the hospital and was told that he has CHF with no chance for surgery due to AD. He is on a salt restricted diet so I monitor his salt intake. Here is my problem: He use to eat small meals when mom was alive, so here, we kept the same routine. But recently, he has been getting up all through the night raiding the fridge for more food, which is fine, but, he not only stops there, he also eats potato chips and things that are high in salt. I have cleaned out the house of high salt foods to remedy that problem, but now, he finishes off the rest of what was made for dinner. I increased his portions of food at dinner time, nearly filling his whole plate thinking he will not have the need to get up and eat during the night. He eats everything on his plate but still gets up to eat. He does not gain weight at all as I monitor his vital signs and weight every day. He is eating nearly $150 of groceries during the week. I have tried to explain to him that his diet is resticted, but this seems not to bother him as his answer is always, "so." Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get his eating under control? I am sure that some of his meds are responsible, but I am not positive. I have explained this to his primary MD, who seems not too worried about his eating, even though he has CHF. I am worried though, as everything contains salt and I am unable to keep him from going over his limit. I cannot be up all through the night standing in the kitchen monitoring him. He has mild to moderate demetia and does understand, but says he does not care. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Dazed2often,

Welcome to the boards. We are pleased you have found us and hope we can provide you with much help and support.
Over eating, or ODD eating is really par for the course with our dementia affected loved ones. Both my Dad and my Husband went through periods of eating constantly, or having appetites for only sugars, salts, or other unhealthy habits. Be forewarned that there are times they may "flip" habits to only wanting specific foods ALL the time, and sometimes not eating anything else. My Dad went from eating, grazing day and night, and still losing alot of weight.......to flipping his metabolism and rapidly gaining weight. I believe there is sometimes very little we can do. And I think its fair to attribute it all to the dementia experience, and we just need to know that most likely, "this too shall pass."

From the medical perspective I think you can only do what you can do....and not stress yourself out too much. You can provide/supply the healthiest foods, and attempt to limit quantities, but our loved ones will not likely remember instructions on quality and quantity. They may tell us they do, but their interpretation, their reality is not necessarily going to jive with those instructions.

I remember finding my Dad not eating anything....thinking he ate. Other times I remember him eating the same things for days on end, usually junk, insisting he was having dessert because he already ate his "meal." My husband used to eat four or five bowls of cereal, or four or five bananas because he "knew" he wanted it, and insisted he had not had it.....despite the fact all the cereal bowls were used, sitting in the sink, and five banana peels were in the garbage.

Your Dad might tell you he doesn't care about his diet, or insist he is not eating too much because that is truly "his" reality. I would imagine your Dad's doctor is not concerned with your Dad's intake at this point because so long as he is eating something, it beats the alternative.

What about switching his diet to mostly fruits and vegetables -- fresh or frozen, without salt -- and cooking his beans, meat, rice, etc. without salt? It wouldn't be an unhealthy diet for any of us, and as long as there are no processed foods or salt shakers in the house, I don't see how he could get too much sodium.

Then if he loses his appetite, you can deal with that -- but maybe he'll still eat a lot, only super healthy stuff.

Dear New Realm, thank you for the welcome.
Thanks so much for the heads up on "flipping" as we have not experienced that yet. With all the meds he is on for his heart, thyroid, high blood pressure, I am sure there is at least one of those that might be a contributing factor along with AD. Also... he does not remember all the bottles of juice and plates he took into his room the night before, and gives me an exasperated look when he walks out with his hands loaded.

Cathy J.M., your suggestion of more fruits and vegetables sounds great as he is not much of a meat eater. I did find a great little find in McCormick's Salt Free Garlic and Herb which he seems to really like and uses it in place of salt.

Thanks again for all information and advice. Knowing, will make things just a tad bit easier. Heads up is always best and is welcomed.