Dementia- does it change appetite/tastes and possible diabetes?

[RememberBeKindWithKaren]

My mum was diagnosed with alzheimers and dementia earlier this year.

Her diet is now pretty bad in my view. She suddenly gave up drinking tea approx a year ago. Now she likes coca cola, lemonade and apple juice. She also loves mars bars. Demands chocolate in this form every day. We sometimes find the end of mars bars kicking around her lounge.

Should I speak to her GP about this? I've heard other people say their elderly relatives' taste has changed such that they particularly like sweet foods. Could this be the start of diabetes? I don't know much about diabetes.

I have both LPAs in place if relevant and her GP surgery are excellent at dealing with my questions. I'm just not sure whether or when I should be worried.

Thanks

Yes, preferring sweet foods is quite a common thing in dementia. Balancing this against other health issues can be tricky, particularly if the person won’t eat much else. But it doesn’t necessarily mean they have developed diabetes.

it’s worth having a chat with her GP if you’re worried, but sometimes the goal ends up being any nutrition rather than worrying about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods.

My dad's consultant said that we should accommodate the changes in taste, and manage the diabetes

My dad's weight plumeted till his bmi was 16 before we did this

He's now on daily insulin injections but looks so so so much more healthy

Desserts are his favourite.

@ChewyMints , did the diabetes get worse as his diet changed please? I know nothing about diabetes.

@RememberBeKindWithKaren his diabetes needed to be medicated more than it was, but he enjoys his food now. Diabetes can be managed much more easily than change in taste due to dementia. He was literally malnourished; now he has an injection and a pill every day, instead of 2 pills and is much more content

The only suggestion to try to manage the change in taste was to use anti psychotic medication on him as a side effect is weight gain. I refused as drugging an already confused person just for a side effect to make him to eat food he doesn't enjoy seems to defeat the idea of quality of life, and (rather dramatic this) his dignity.