For an elderly having digestive issues, is ensure a good choice? No solid at the moment. Are there something better?
This will be best answered by that person’s healthcare provider. We are just a bunch of schmucks filling the cyberspace with chatter.
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My best friend is a hospice nurse - she carries Ensure in her car specifically for new patients who are on “no solid” diets in case their family hasn’t gotten to the store yet.
However, I think having that person ask their healthcare provider for a recommendation is best. Especially since there may be other things the provider is also wanting to avoid (sugars, etc.).
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Definitely talk to the health care provider. But I will offer that my FIL enjoyed baby food in pouches when he could no longer eat solids.
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Ensure is great and comes in a variety of flavors. Yes, check with the physician as the carb content needs to be considered if diabetic. There is also a clear version, more palatable to some and better for some conditions. Carnation instant breakfast is also vitamin and protein filled and can be mixed into a shake. Back before everything got so prepackaged in health care, custard was made for patients with plenty of eggs. But that is getting into solid food. Jello is considered liquid and appeals to some.
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There are a range of different supplements. Some have different amounts of protein, sugar, lactose and a range of different ingredients. My kids and folks have consumed a range of them and I’d agree that the healthcare provider and/or nutritionist can provide the best guidance on this important topic.
The person has to LIKE it and tolerate it well. The temperature and texture can affect how well the item is received. Don’t stock up on a particular product until the patient and provider approve or you may have wasted a lot of $$$$.
Boost is a different supplement drink and there are some made for folks with breathing problems and other particular needs.
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Thank you for replies.This is already helpful. Can Ensure replace a meal? Doesn’t tolerate milk and flour very well.
Homemade beef broth might be something to consider – I’d ask the health care provider about it.
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Most Ensure is dairy based, but I see they do have one plant-based product.
Has your relative been tested for C-Diff? Very common in elderly and not nice.
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There is a parent caring for parent forum here on CC that might be helpful.
Ensure has Vitamin K which can interfere with Coumadin, in case that is an issue.
You don’t specify the cause for this dietary situation: swallowing problem, loss of appetite, no teeth?
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2 Cal HN is an Abbott nutrition liquid which can be used as sole source nutrition. High calorie/high protein. It has twice the calorie value of an Ensure. (475 cal/8 oz vs 220 cal).
Available from Amazon. Comes in different flavors. Suitable for lactose intolerance. Gluten free.
Learned about it from a nurse. Said she had patients who couldn’t/wouldn’t eat and that’s all they used for nutrition and did well. Her teen son actually used it to gain weight for athletics. Said he liked it fine–vanilla.
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EU here the liquid meals taste horrid, cloyingly sweet, texture too gloopy. Used to get these from GP when with the unable to eat, digestive issues CHF etc.
So I went looking online for ideas and see very ancient recipes for hospital soups and sort of adapted those to cook myself, also changed to softer easy to ingest like yoghurt, apple sauce, stewed fruits etc, small amounts, small breakfast plate instead of dinner plate, small soup bowl 2/3 cup. Decades ago see a nutrionist once so know what to eat and online all the information is there too. Rx meds also cause digestive issues after years of use our pharmacy reminds us to read the paper info inserts. Motivation to eat properly is also important.
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I agree that the best product is the one that is tolerated best and doesn’t interfere with medications.
FWIW, my mom HATED ensure and all those dairy based drinks. It was a no go for her. (I think she was lactose intolerant but was never officially diagnosed).
Strained bone broth based soups were better for her when she couldn’t do solids. She also was Ok with applesauce and pureed “real” foods.
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Unfortunately, none of those. She can’t digest from what I understand. Intolerant of nutrition?
There is also a very high calorie Boost product which is 530 calories/8 oz. It is also suitalble for lactose intolerance. There is dairy in it (as most of these products) but is in such small amount that it is considered safe (but not for necessarily for milk allergy). (available from Amazon)
I don’t know about the Boost but the 2CalHN also has probiotics for gut health.
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She should definitely get checked for C-Diff if she hasn’t been already. It’s a pretty nasty bug. Two of my aunts had it when they were elderly.
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Thank you, keep them coming. We’ll try them all and see what works.
@Sweetgum I passed it on to get that checked on.
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I hope it’s not C-Diff. It’s pretty hard to shake.
Maybe get her some non-dairy yogurts and probiotics for gut health?
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Sorry you are going through this. Similar experience to what we went through with my mom who kept battling C-Diff which ultimately required “poopy pills”. Sounds gross but addressed the acute symptoms.
Subsequently gastro Dr. recommended Align and she thankfully hasn’t had a recurrence even while on antibiotics. Please check with Doctor first.
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There are lots of reasons for not digesting properly so I won’t speculate. I do think avoidance of dairy (and maybe gluten) can sometimes be helpful.
Is hospice involved? We also don’t know the whole context. My mother stopped eating for 3 months and my training was to not push it. I let her savor her one or two bites per day, only if she asked for them and chose them. She lost 35 pounds but then recovered her eating.
She had diverticulitis in the past followed by a blockage that resulted in a colostomy. Not related to her stopping eating more recently.
Is there a GI doc involved? Has a procedure been suggested? Any food allergy testing? If on hospice, of course none of this would be done.
I am shooting in the dark here, so to speak, so apologies if none of this is appropriate to the situation.
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