My mom has bi polar disorder and experienced a relapse summer 2014 after 5 years of stability. She is 81. This happened six mos. after my dad died where she began having panic attacks and depression came back. In the past her depression caused memory loss. The last episode of depression lasted 2 years. She made a full recovery in 2009. Over the last 8 mos. she has been in rehab and now long term care at a nursing home. She has off and on confusion but still knows who we are. Last December she was diagnosed with dementia. I struggled with accepting it because she had similar symptoms in the past that were caused by psychosis. In the past month she has experienced problems swallowing food. She reaches for it but holds it in her mouth. It is pureed. She also has had to be placed in a wheelchair. She is practically skin and bone now. She has an advanced directive to prolong life. I have POA. The doctor has advised me not to take extraordinary measures to prolong her life because of end stage dementia. I am struggling with making a decision regarding a feeding tube.
No doubt the subject of a feeding tube will come up and I am dead set against it.I doubt she has little time left so why put her through more suffering when there' no hope of improvement? You wouldn't do that to a beloved pet. ,
You can find many articles online about the inadvisability of using a feeding tube for an end stage dementia patient. The complications can cause a lot of distress and their is little or no evidence of benefit. Several articles do write about the benefit if continuing hand feeding if small amounts of appropriate food like apple sauce as tolerated, as a form of communication between family and the patient which is meaningful to both.
I personally would not want one nor would I want one for my mother.
This is a very hard time for you. ((((((((((hugs))))))))