Advice required please.

[SofianeB]

We need to get my 89 year old godmother eating again. She's in hospital following a severe infection in the bone around her prosthetic knee. She's beginning to overcome the infection but doesn't want to eat and is nutritionally behind. . She is slightly confused, but less than she was. Any ideas? Seems psychological. Thank you

[sassy59]

Good morning and welcome to you. I do hope your dear Godmother is recovering from her operation but what a problem it can be trying to get her to eat. There are such things as Complan which can help build up nutrition. She will need encouragement but I doubt the hospital staff have time to do that.

I know that when my husband was in hospital with sepsis he just refused to eat. Our son eventually took him soup in an insulated container and he ate it. He had control over pouring it into the cup and seemed to like that.

It can be trial and error, taking in something your Godmother likes could help.

I wish you well and better days ahead. Xxxx

[SofianeB in reply to sassy59]

Thanks a lot for your support !

[Hidden]

Hi SofieaneB. I agree with all that sassy59 has suggested. I'd also say don't stress too much over her not eating during any hospital stay. Her lack of appetite is probably based in the fact that it's a deep seated infection and she's only starting her recovery now. Then there's her environment. As an older person I know how any new location that isn't familiar is prone to knocking you off kilter for a while. And lots of people dread hospital stays. She's probably anxious too.

I also find the more food becomes an issue, the more the patient feels under pressure and loses his/her appetite even more.

Offer things, don't insist, and certainly don't worry about a fully nutritional diet. Tempt her with little morsels of things that she loves, and, as sassy59 suggested, Complan or a similar nutritional drink might get her back on track. If she has a sweet tooth, maybe some flavoured milk might be more palatable. It's not about full nutrition at the moment but on encouraging some kind of eating and drinking. (My late uncle was once started off on his path back to eating with a bottle of stout every night. My sister sought the charge-nurse's permission and my uncle really looked forward to my sister arriving with his 'spoils' every night).

Good luck with this. I know it's both challenging and worrying. I hope your godmother improves very quickly. Best wishes.

[SofianeB in reply to Hidden]

Thanks a lot for your support !

[lell1 in reply to SofianeB]

Hi there! I agree with both Sassy59 and Callendersgal. If she fancies fish n chips let her have em! At 89 it's ok for her to have a couple of weeks 'holiday' from the healthy stuff!