If your mother-in-law has more success eating in the hospital, you should try to figure out the reason why before she comes home. Speak to the dietician and the physician about her current eating habits. Find out if she is receiving any appetite stimulants or other medications that could cause her to get hungry. In addition, there might be other circumstances in the hospital that are contributing to her eating and drinking habits. Ask the hospital staff and you could also find out for yourself by sitting nearby while she has her meals. Pay attention to her surroundings while she eats. Is she eating alone or in a group setting? Does she need to be assisted or fed by hand? Is she eating foods that she never ate at home? Does she eat a different time of the day than before? Is she being kept more active in the hospital which could jog her appetite? Is her environment loud or quiet? By simply observing what is around her, you could get some ideas that you might want to use at home. If she returns home and stops eating once again, call her physician immediately to report this.