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Cravings are a result of nutritional deficiencies. Moringa powder is a wonderful supplement for someone with dementia. My Grandfathers mind is So much clearer when I give him the morninga. You can buy it on Amazon..i got the organic powder..not caps. i add the powder to his oatmeal in the morning. Or to a smoothie. And often times I just add 1 tsp tumeric, 1tspn moringa 1tspn honey and a few Tablespoon full fat yogurt...mix it with about 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Warm Distilled water until its smooth, sweet and he eats it right up. The tumeric helps the brain also (google tumeric beneficial for dementia patients)
It would help your Mothers digestion also. If she's "still full" sounds like slow digestion. Tumeric helps digestion. Plus I give him a few digestive enzymes with his meals. That will help digestion also.
I don't offer my Grandpa choices...I cook dinner...he often complains, its boring, Im not hungry etc. I just put it down on the table for him. He usually eats it all up despite his complaints
If not I cover it & put it in the cold oven Then if he asks later I warm it up
I think its a power issue. You can't 'Make' me do a b c.
Some days its a nightmare. Most days he will go along now and its peaceful It took a couple of moths to get him into our routine.
Sounds like you would really benefit from a day at the spa with steam & a wonderful massage. Maybe even a facial too
The Korean spa near me really saves my life
Good luck
Your Mother probably doesn't realize just how lucky she is to have such a caring devoted daughter. I do :)
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Wow! This is exactly what I am going through with my 93 year old mother with mild Dementia. Like you, I spend at least $800.00 a month just for the two of us! It's ridiculous. My mother asks for breakfast every morning ( a big breakfast have you), and I am not one for a huge breakfast first thing in the morning. She does this for both breakfast and dinner. After cooking for what seems like 2 hours per meal, she will leave 2/3 of the food uneaten on her plate. I ask her to please eat more if you can because food is quite expensive. She then tells me she does not like what I have cooked. It sounds like you have learned from experience by offering her two options. That's a great idea! My mother has told me that she is not hungry after I have gone to the trouble of fixing the meal and 2/3 hours she is asking for food again. I figured out that when I serve her dinner now I will gently but firmly tell her this is all there is tonight. I will not cook anything else, so either she will eat what I have already prepared or just go hungry. I know it sounds harsh, but she always finds a way around it by going into the kitchen searching for sweets. She will inevitably substitute sweets for her dinner. At times I am so exhausted from trying to please her that it has taken all joy away from cooking as you too have mentioned. I really do not have any answers for you except maybe be firmer with her? I know she has Dementia and probably will not remember you talking to her but I have repeated myself over and over again to ensure she will not forget and then some!! Good luck and I hope you find some answers on this forum.
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We were told that it isn’t a short order kitchen in our home. You are what you are served.

Yep, now they want the royal treatment. I’m exhausted all the time, not to mention what it cost to fix these delicious meals!

My mom doesn’t have dementia. Just wants to eat whatever her heart desires.
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Shell38314 May 2019
Yup! My mother made one thing for dinner and we either ate it or we didn't. That is what I do, I make one thing for dinner and either my mother eats it or not. I am not falling for I want this or that or I don't want that for dinner.

I am not a short order cook either!
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We feed Pops on a schedule by putting the food in front of him much like they do in a nursing home. We also have a cabinet with his photo on it where we put a supply of quick, easy snacks he can grab anytime he likes which usually covers the cravings. Kitchen is closed at night so cooking isn't an option. Just like it is in a nursing home. Routine is very important to him so though it took a while to form the routine maintaining it is pretty simple.
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Isthisrealyreal May 2019
I love the idea of putting his picture on the cabinet that holds his snacks.

You could write a how to book with all of your clever solutions.
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We learned quickly not to ask what she wanted, or 'are you hungry?'  She always said no.  She had snacks, like pudding or fruit cups, cookies, peanut butter, and plain donuts (her favorite).  Sometimes for lunch I'd ask if she wanted a sandwich (she loved eggs), but other than eggs or sometimes soup, cooking was for an early dinner.  We TOLD her dinner was ready.  If she really resisted, I'd ask if she could please come and have coffee while we ate, to keep us company.  Once she sat down, she always ate.  And if she wanted cake, cookies, or donuts for breakfast every day, I figured in her 90's she was allowed.  We got her the Keurig coffee maker because she just couldn't learn any other way we had, and it kept her independent for snacking.  Her last 6 months she ate very little. 

When you say good night, and she asks for something that needs to be prepared, nicely tell her your sorry, but it is too late.  You'll do it tomorrow.  Remind her there's pudding, or fruit, or jello.  Good luck, and if she gets angry, well, those are her feelings.  You didn't cause them.  Ignore and go to bed.
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Why are you allowing her behavior? I don't care what her mental state is - she lives with you and she lives by YOUR rules. You are taking care of her. No matter how mad she gets, and if she does, make her stop at once or there will be consequences, ignore the outbursts. Make her eat with you on your schedule. If she doesn't want that, let her go hungry until the next meal. Do this a few times, and she will be eating on your schedule and stop spending all the money you don't have. She eats what you all eat - with a slight option for something different. But if there are problems, at once - stop the anger and outburst and no meal until the next time the family eats. I am sorry, but these people do not understand and never will and this is the only way you can get through to them. Do NOT feel guilty - she is the problem - not YOU.
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