You might have a bunch of snacks around. When that would happen with my husband I would bring him a nutritious snack and apologize that “supper” wasn’t quite ready yet. He would feel he had been listened to, but wouldn’t make the connection I wasn’t cooking. In the later stages my husband couldn’t eat a big meal so I left small bowls of food out and he would graze. He was getting food and there was no mealtime battles. I learned to go with his reality, not the real reality and it was easier on both of us. Good luck!

I notice two common trends in many of the responses: 1) as ALZ progresses, many patients have difficulty swallowing. Switching to smoothies, breakfast drinks or pureed soups offers a simple way to reduce the swallowing problem while still providing nutritious meals; 2) many ALZ patients struggle to use common eating utensils. Forks are the worst, spoons are better, but fingers are best. Providing nutritious, easy-to-eat snacks increases the likelihood they will be eaten, particularly if the patient can snack when they want.

I can use both of these “lessons” in my wife’s care. Thanks to all who contributed.

Dry food is very hard for us to swallow. Sweeten it with a bit of jam or whatever and it's easier to get into us. Avoid sour and bitter, for us those flavors are magnified! I still drink diet coke with the blessing of my husband and my Doctor. I kept a log for a year and track the days I drank it and the days I didn't and it showed very well the days I did not drink it I was pretty much a zombie. For some reason it works. I mentioned it to a few other people and it has worked for them also. I know it gets a bad wrap but for some reason it does help. Maybe some scientist could figure out why. Also smaller meals and more frequent - like small meals and snacks are what work for me. I can no longer eat a full meal and keep it down. So I eat small amounts 4-5 times a day. Hope this helps.
Hugs to all!

Mom is very picky and diabetic so I have to be careful. she also sometimes does not eat if she knows I fixed it for her...ROFL. So every night before bed I make her 8 mini meals. They contain finger foods that she can pick at...I try and think healthy but at this point when she is having difficulties I do add things with a bit of sugar in them...her a1c is still good...she isn't eating a lot of it..just munchie stuff...So like one will contain a half a hard boiled egg...a cheese stick of some kind, a quarter of a bagel with cream cheese..One might contain a breakfast bar...and maybe some grapes. etc/...I make 8 of them a day and just willy nilly throw one on the counter in the kitchen...she steals it...LOL I think she likes A. To graze and B to do something naughty LOLOL She also gets two glucerna's a day and dinner with us.