

Communicate: Social stimulation can keep us active and healthy.If your loved one is bed-bound, play a board game or read aloud. If your loved one is mobile, go for walks around the neighborhood or a trip to the grocery store. Keep your loved one on the go: Activity is important for a healthy body and mind.Keep track of what your loved one is eating and drinking to make sure they’re getting enough nutritious food and fluids. Document what your loved one eats and drinks: Poor nutrition and dehydration can quickly become dangerous, especially in the elderly.Check the medications: Talk to your doctor and pharmacist about the medications your loved one is taking to see if there are any side effects or drug interactions that could be the cause of your loved one’s AFTT.After a certain amount of time, evaluate the results and see if any improvements have been made. Talk about what’s going on and make an action plan with your loved one’s physician. Keep a close watch: If your loved one is unwilling to eat or drink, if they seem to experience a bout of depression for no reason, or if there is any other sudden decline in their health, visit his or her physician together to discuss what you have observed.

A failure to thrive in adults treatment plan may include: The good news is that there are steps you can take to help battle AFTT. What can I do if my loved one is diagnosed with Adult Failure to Thrive?Ī diagnosis of failure to thrive in elderly adults can be incredibly frustrating. Often, someone with AFTT also shows signs of depression, dehydration, poor immune function, low cholesterol, and sometimes, impaired physical or cognitive function. It can be caused by factors such as: unknown medical problems, chronic disease, medication interactions, physical decline, poor appetite, or poor diet.įailure to thrive symptoms in adults include weight loss, decreased appetite, poor nutrition, and inactivity.

Older adults are given the AFTT diagnosis, or sometimes called geriatric failure to thrive, when they experience a gradual decline in health without an immediate explanation.

In the past, failure to thrive was a condition more commonly associated with infants, but it is becoming increasingly common among the senior population. What is this perplexing condition, and what should you do if a loved one is diagnosed with it? After a more thorough workup, he gives an adult failure to thrive nursing diagnosis, or AFTT. The doctor’s been called, but he doesn’t know what’s wrong. It’s a bewildering situation, but not an uncommon one - grandma is losing weight, is withdrawn and unresponsive, and seems depressed.
