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1 - Make sure he drinks at least 2 liter of fluids - mostly water - every day.
2 - Make sure he has high fiber diet - lots of produce and lots of whole grains. Any veggies or fruit that are "crunch" have plenty of fiber. Oatmeal has plenty of fiber. Nuts, not nut butters, also have plenty of fiber.
3 - Fiber supplements usually work well. Some can be added to drinks, some are gummies, and some come in pill form.
4 - Ask about his magnesium levels. If his magnesium is low, his digestive tract will move slower. He can either take magnesium in pills or as Milk of Magnesia.
5 - If he is taking iron supplements (for anemia) or opioides (for pain), they can slow his digestion down.
6 - There are reliable medications to help with constipation. Colace is a stool softener and tends to work better if taken at night. Fleets enemas can help loosen up hard stool. Linzess makes the digestive tract work a little faster and is given 1 hour before breakfast.
Puree apple or pear with dinner.
I pray these help you.
Slice it and sprinkle with lime, and your father will go naturally.
Take as directed, which means enough water. It is possible some elders would object to the texture. Important to let it soften in the liquid you're mixing it in, but it only takes a minute at most or it gets unpleasantly thick. This route is probably only going to work for people who are not overly picky. (Most privileged persons, maybe.)
Available in capsules too, again, if you're happy spending extra money.
I eat a very high fiber diet, but still require this all natural supplement for my system to function regularly and comfortably.
It's not something I crave but takes less than a minute at most and has changed my life for the better.
Oh --- and I second the daily use of extra magnesium.
Thanks.
LACTULOSE is the only "safe" long-term laxative and works well even with kidney disease. Lactulose is an indigestible sugar that goes into the lower intestines and accumulates water thus assists with elimination. This is a good "laxative" when eating and drinking become more of a problem. Before mom had her feeding tube put in, I spent an average of two hours feeding her PER MEAL and giving her fluids teaspoon by teaspoon due to the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. I used the feeding tube as a last resort so she would not have to die of dehydration which can take two weeks. THAT took even more care. Feeding tubes are not easy to maintain but I never had any problem with it.
Alternatively, if your dad still eats, you can buy sugarless chocolate CANDY with sorbitol--it acts like Lactulose and can loosen stool.
BUT you have to watch for signs/symptoms of DEHYDRATION. If they are not taking in enough fluids, that's the problem and inducing bowel movements can further dehydration.
If he has kidney disease any kind of laxative with magnesium or phosphate in it will become toxic as it requires healthy kidneys to excrete these elements.
If the elderly is on any kind of psychotropic drug which are anticholinergic in effect, this will cause constipation as well. Anticholinergics...even Benadryl..can cause constipation due to their effect; Benadryl can also cause urinary retention and enlarge the prostate. Narcotics are notorious for slowing bowel motility to the point it can incarcerate the bowel (twist and kill the bowels).
I never had my mom on any narcotic or psychotropic.
Level of function and medication review are in order.
You see it is more complicated than you think.
Mariani probiotic prunes
if your dad can chew well, regular leafy green salads may assist in digestion due to the fiber and water within. If he can’t chew well, possibly blending in machine/food processor?
I give my husband probiotics for digestion daily and a stimulant free, stool softener at night only when needed.
Water intake is a definite. My mom used to drink water at home, now in nursing facility and rarely drinks water, even though we bring bottles of water to her. She has problems like your dad. They do need encouragement, especially when they’re forgetful. Stool hardens without a good source of fiber and water. Water is good for assisting to prevent dehydration and softening stool.
with me, oily dressings on salads put me right into the bathroom.
Im not a doctor, but I hope this info helps.
I thought I remember reading years ago, something about a lax colon. If too many enemas or laxitives.... but I can’t look up now because I’ll lose my letter to you. I think a stool softener such as colace is safer than taking laxatives, in my opinion. The stimulant free colace my husband and mom takes are pretty safe for them. My husband is waiting for a heart transplant. But you can always ask pharmacist.
also, I remember my grandmother years ago, she was diabetic and didn’t eat well all the time, we gave her glucerna. As soon as she drank it, she had to get right into the bathroom. There’s other shakes for non diabetics as well, if your dad isn’t eating all that well. I wonder if those shakes would give your dad the same affect?
I hope this helps even if just a bit and the two of you stay safe and well.
"An apple a day keeps the pathologist away." (R. P. Bolande MD, ECU-Brody School of Medicine, Dept. of Pathology [heard in person, some 30 years ago])
Plus, they taste good and are easy to swallow.
Give him and Aloe pill from the health food store once a week, if that doesn’t help.
Better than a stool softener and it’s natural. (No belly ache)
Metamucil can be added to smoothies to help also if your dad can get one.
He needs to make sure he's drinking enough fluids and getting a little exercise.
Bring him foods with fiber or let him start taking fiber pills.
Oatmeal is a good fiber so bring him some oat and oatbran muffins and breakfast bars.
Bring packages of Prunes to snack on several a day, they taste good and do the trick.
Apples are also a good source of fiber.
I believe they even have fiber to mix with water.