By 2030, it is projected that 65 million people will have dementia. This is a condition whereby cognitive function steadily declines. It might not be immediately apparent that those with dementia have trouble with eating food. Indeed, those with memory issues living in retirement communities may find it difficult to eat the same meals as everyone else. This is because they likely experience mealtime issues such as difficulty eating, being distracted, wandering, and more. Memory care in Grand Prairie, TX can help you and your loved ones improve the dining experience and quality of your meal.
Why Does Eating Become More Difficult in People with Dementia?
Before we explain how we can help you, let us first understand why eating becomes more difficult amongst these individuals. Those with dementia experience not only a decline in memory but also a diminished sense of smell and taste. This might mean that they may not be able to eat certain meals because they don’t smell or taste as good as they used to. Sometimes, there might be a lack of appetite caused by a change in medication dosage or concentration, for example. Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, in this group means that they are at a higher risk for asphyxiation. All in all, navigating mealtimes can be tricky but fret not because we’re here to help out! We live by two simple tenets.
Keep It Simple
When it comes to dining experiences for our memory care residents, minimizing distractions is very important and that’s why our aim is to keep it simple. Having an elaborate center piece, for example, might be visually distracting. Another thing that we like to keep in mind is not to overwhelm the resident with too many food items. A buffet-style is not always the best as there can be too many options and thus, cognitive demands. Bear in mind that due to alterations in such individual’s visual and cognitive abilities, food items on the plate could be confused with the design of the plate itself. Minimalist plate designs and placemats could help tremendously.
Make it Personal
Each person’s food preferences and the environment in which they consume food is distinct. This is also the case for our residents and so we believe that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be the best way to go. It is important to take the resident’s food preferences into account when designing a diet. This has the dual benefit of engaging them and making them excited about food. Foods that are healthy and suitable for consumption should still be offered to residents in order to promote a nutritious and well-balanced meal. It’s important for us that we give our residents enough time to eat. We also have our famous “Food on the Run” concept for those who wander around a lot during mealtimes. Tweaks like these can make the dining environment suitable for everyone.
Eating together enriches your entire community by creating opportunities for connections, laughter, and conversation. When residents experience these things at meals, they will look forward to future meals.
