Food And Nutrition For Our Memory Care Residents

When Sarah found out that her mom has Alzheimer’s disease, her world fell apart.
She was scared at the thought of losing her mom and not knowing what the future will look like.
A million questions entered her mind.
Will her mom forget who she is?
What’s the prognosis?
Where can she find some help?
She had no idea how to process the diagnosis herself, let alone figure out how to help her mom understand what was happening to her.
The first thing Sarah did was to take to the internet and start researching all the things she could do to make things a little easier for her mom.
One of the things that came up was how certain foods can help to maintain brain health. Sarah wanted to find out more about this so she could plan her mom’s meals as best as she possibly can.

Best Food and Nutrition For Dementia Patients

Getting the right nutrition is important for all of us. It’s what helps to keep our bodies strong and healthy.
For a person living with dementia, the need is stronger as a poor diet can worsen the dementia symptoms and cause weight loss.

Foods

• 1. Berries – Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for example are all linked to improved cognitive function
• 2. Green vegetables – Foods such as spinach and kale are known for their benefits to the brain. They contain lots of good vitamins which are thought to control homocysteine, an amino acid linked to dementia, memory loss, and stroke
• 3. Fish – fish is full of omega 3 fatty acids which are good for keeping your brain healthy
• 4. Eggs – eggs are not only good for you, but they’re also a great food for brain health
• 5. Plenty of liquids – people with dementia may forget that they haven’t had a drink for a while and become hydrated. It’s important, therefore, to make sure they have regular drinks such as water, juice, or tea.

Nutrition Tips

• 1. Maintain a balanced diet. A diet that is rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals is going to help boost the overall health of the person with dementia. This means eating lots of fruit, vegetables, grains, and protein.
• 2. Avoid too much-refined sugar. Processed foods often contain a lot of refined sugar. It is high in calories yet low in nutrients. These foods may be a welcome treat but should be eaten in moderation.
• 3. Limit foods that contain cholesterol, high levels of saturated fat, and salt. Too much fat can be bad for heart health and blood pressure. Limiting these foods or swapping them for low-fat options is a good alternative.

Other Dinnertime Tips To Help Moms and Dads With Dementia

Dinnertime may become difficult, especially during the mid to late stages of the disease.
When your mom or dad is living with dementia, too many distractions or too much choice can cause upset and confusion. Their tastes may also change which can affect appetite and make eating more difficult.
Here are a few tips to use in making dinner a calm experience:

• Limit the number of distractions, such as TV or radio.
• It can help to keep the plate one color and use a contrasting table cloth or mat. Avoid too many patterns as it makes it tough for a person with dementia to differentiate between the food and the plate or table.
• Make sure you check the temperature of the food before you serve it as a person with dementia may struggle to tell if something is too hot or too cold.
• Allow your mom or dad plenty of time to eat and don’t rush.
• Remember that your mom or dad may forget that they have already eaten a particular meal that day. Try to remain patient and calm when reminding them.

We Can Help

Here at Village Green Alzheimer’s Care Home, our highly trained team specializes in caring for people with dementia. We want to help people like Sarah to know that they don’t have to worry about their mom as we will take care of them. For moms and dads living in our assisted living facility, we provide healthy home-cooked meals and snacks every day that have the right level of nutrition. If you’re looking at choosing an assisted living facility for your loved one, you’re welcome to come and have a tour of our living facility. Please get in touch and we will be more than happy to arrange a time to suit you. For your convenience, we are located in The The Woodlands, Cypress, Champions, Conroe, Kingwood, Tomball, Rockwall, Mckinney, and Highland Village.