Please or to access all these features

Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

eating disorder help

2 replies

windowdrawing · 16/06/2021 09:08

Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice or experience with eating disorders in adults? My Mum is showing a lot of signs - has always eaten very little but enough to maintain weight and have energy. Now though she is hiding food, putting unopened meals she is buying with her carers in the bin, putting food in a tissue when we are eating with her to hide it. She has lost a lot of weight in the last 6 months and i'm really worried - she doesn't have much to lose. She is still losing weight. We have increased carer visits and they visit over mealtimes to eat with Mum but they can't always encourage her to eat and are at a loss to know how to help as well. She's had general health checks and the GP is going to prescribe nutritional drinks that I'm pretty sure Mum won't try. She is generally not even drinking her coffees any more. She's been referred to a dietician. I know there's not going to be a lot of help out there but I wanted to check if anyone knows of anything - mental health support? Anything else we can be doing at mealtimes? Mum has very early stages Alzheimer's but you can have a conversation with her and she remembers a lot but the rules seem to be no one with Alzheimer's can have mental health support - seems wrong. I'm thinking she should at least have an assessment in case anti-depressants might be a help. Thanks for any help

OP posts:
ButItRingsAndIRise · 16/06/2021 10:34

That sounds very worrying. Are the careers buying meals she actually likes? Is she too polite and not telling them she doesn’t like those ones?
Has anyone checked her mouth to see if she has any sores that make eating painful? Does she have dentures that, due to weight loss, no longer fit and are causing her pain to eat?
You could contact beat and ask for advice.they have helplines and email contact
www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/support-services/helplines

www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/supporting-someone/worried-about-friend

windowdrawing · 16/06/2021 12:46

Thanks ButItRings - will look at Beat. Teeth etc are fine but thanks for the thought. She shops with the carers and picks out things she likes - she just doesn't want to eat it seems

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page