Many of us treasure memories of our moms or dads preparing healthy, nutritious meals in the kitchen for our families, knowing they loved to prepare food as much as we enjoyed eating it!
However, many people tend to develop memory issues or cognitive impairment as they age. In some cases, they may even be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, which, depending on the severity of the condition, can severely limit their ability in the kitchen, even when they’re being closely supervised. For example, sharp knives and ovens, which they had easily operated for most of their life, now impose severe hazards to health and safety.
This situation can be devastating for people who find happiness and contentment in preparing food. Fortunately, there are six simple ways your older loved one with dementia can enjoy preparing food while minimizing the risks of injury or damage.
Six ways to cook with someone with dementia
1. Choose simple easy-to-follow recipes
The days of preparing complicated dishes such as duck l’orange may be behind them, but your loved one can still enjoy cooking using simple, fun, and easy to prepare. Look for recipes that require few ingredients and a limited number of steps.
For example, meals that don’t require cooking but are assembled, such as fruit or green salads, may work well. Other simple recipes include soups and pasta dishes that need some cooking but require little prep.
2. Use recipes with prepared ingredients
If a much-loved recipe has become too complicated for your loved one, you can modify it to make it easier to prepare. For example, if mom loves to bake cookies, cakes, and brownies from scratch, try “out-of-the-box” products with prepared ingredients that are less labour-intensive but still produce yummy results.
They may also find applesauce easier to make than apple pies or enjoy cooking mashed potatoes instead of preparing a complicated potato dish. Mashing potatoes is good exercise, too!
3. Delegate tasks appropriately
Your loved one might be unable to follow the whole recipe from beginning to end, but they can still be involved in the steps along the way. For example, they might be able to stir ingredients, knead dough, use the cookie cutter, or decorate a cake.
Other non-cooking tasks they can take on can include setting timers, measuring ingredients, or even just reading out the steps. Be sure to gauge their abilities before assigning tasks, something too complicated might lead to frustration.
4. Allow them to supervise
Allowing your loved one to supervise while you cook can be a fun, engaging activity that helps them regain a sense of control that dementia tends to take away.
You can ask them to help you make a favourite dish from your childhood while reminiscing about dinners from years before, triggering happy memories and strengthening your bond.
5. Always prioritize safety when in the kitchen
People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia should never be unsupervised while preparing food. The condition might cause them to cut themselves with a sharp object, injure themselves on a hot burner, or cause a fire hazard by leaving the stove on. Injuries and messes can also occur from misusing simple devices such as toasters or blenders.
Any spills should be cleaned up right away, but always with a smile and a sense of humour. If your loved one has access to the kitchen when you’re not around, consider unplugging the oven, locking away small appliances, and replacing sharp utensils with blunt ones.
Safety also extends to what they eat, so avoid food that might be hard to swallow, as difficulty swallowing is a common symptom of dementia.
6. Celebrate the accomplishment
No matter how simple the recipe is, be sure to give lots of praise to your loved one for a job well done. Celebrating the dish you prepared together will help feel and give them a much-needed sense of purpose and meaning, which can get impacted after a dementia diagnosis.
A hug, cheer, or high-five can go a long way to helping restore self-esteem.
Share the meal together for a wonderful dining experience
After you’ve finished cooking, take time to sit down and enjoy the meal together. Better still, and if your loved one is willing, invite a few family members or close friends over for an intimate dinner party. Your mom, dad, or grandparent will benefit from the added socialization, bringing them joy and happiness as they break bread with the people who mean the most to them.
And always remember – when you need support with meal preparation or any other aspect of dementia care, CareHop is only a phone call away.
Quality in-home elder care services in Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, and Brampton
CareHop specializes in providing safe, professional eldercare services, including on-demand Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care, that bring peace of mind to families who need support.
We also offer other in-home elder care services such as homemaking and meal preparation, personal care, activities, and casual companionship that help ensure your loved one gets all the professional care they need.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation discussion to discover how we can help you with safe, cost-effective eldercare solutions.
