Do You spend your day trying to please your loved one with dementia? Your normal methods will not work!

Your loved one states “I want a hamburger”! So, you thaw the meat, cook it just right, place it in the bun, take it to them. They take one look at it and say, “what is this, I do not want this!” and refuse to eat it. Yep, welcome to dementia.

To them, that hamburger may look like a pile of mold at the moment. And, if you do wait on them constantly, sometimes, they just like to see you work and scramble around to please them. I have actually asked my mother this “Did you ask for that just so I would get up and make it?” and she says, “yep, I really am not hungry”.

So, for your sanity, prepare two options for your loved one. Ask them if they want option 1 or option 2. Serve it, tell them this is what they have to eat today. They will eat it now or later, but they will eat.

Tips for meals for aging parents:

1. It is better to put a little on the plate at a time so they do not feel overwhelmed.
2. Make meats softer. For example, I cook my hamburger in the skillet as usual, but then I add water to cover it and simmer until the water dissipates. This gives you the color of a normally cooked hamburger which is soft and easier to chew. Turkey burgers practically melt in your mouth after this technique. Chewing is energy and more food is consumed if it requires less energy.
3. Make the plate colorful. Yams, carrots, white potatoes or cauliflower, and a meat will be more pleasing to the eye. Colors make dementia sufferers happier.
4. Do not fill a cup as you would for yourself. It is heavier. It is better to fill it back up when consumed by your loved one. They will have less chance to drop it too!.
5. Visit with them while they eat. Help them eat if they cannot or do not want to extend the energy to eat. Cut the food up into bite sized pieces, arrange in a pleasing pattern on plate, provide a spoon, not a fork for appropriate foods to lessen spills. Direct them to take sips of water between every other bite. More water means better hydration and improved digestion. Better poos too!

Hope you found these tips helpful! Do not forget to check out our store tab for blood pressure cuffs, bed pads and more supplies to care for your elder loved one! Be Kind, Be Strong, and Share What You Know With Others-CN

For more information:

Can Mom Sleep With The Dogs: What You Need To Know Before You Bring Your Parent Home for more insight in caring for an aging loved one. https://www.amazon.com/Can-Mom-Sleep-Dogs-Discussion/dp/B09W7FTNFD

Thank you!