Autumn View Gardens Creve Coeur provides high-quality group dining experiences for our residents, helping them benefit from the proven effects of communal meals. It's also known that meals with friends and family members can help people with dementia achieve better physical, mental and psychosocial wellness. Here are three ways eating together supports people with dementia:
Mealtimes with family and friends are social events, and enjoying mealtimes with friends and family could help reduce dementia symptoms or even lower the risk of developing the condition. A 2020 study found that older adults who don't regularly spend social time with loved ones are more likely to develop dementia than seniors who maintain strong social connections.
Meanwhile, a large-scale clinical trial in the UK determined that person-centered care combined with just 10 minutes of high-quality social interaction improves older adults' quality of life. People with moderately severe dementia showed the most improvement, with significant reductions in agitation and other dementia symptoms. During the trial, caregivers used simple social activities to enhance social well-being, such as talking to seniors about their interests. These results show that regular conversations around the dinner table could help a loved one with memory loss maintain social links and decrease the symptoms of their condition.
Nutrition problems are relatively common in people with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. As the person's disease progresses, they may start forgetting to eat or struggle to recognize familiar foods. Dementia can also impact their sense of taste and smell, making eating less appealing. Over time, not getting the right nutrition can cause weight loss, physical illness and behavioral symptoms.
Fortunately, sharing meals with loved ones and caregivers can help seniors with dementia maintain a healthy weight and diet. According to a 2010 French study, memory care residents who ate meals with caregivers achieved a better nutrition profile than those with more isolated dining experiences.
Meals with friends and family often involve telling and retelling familiar stories. Reminiscing together can help spark memories for seniors with dementia, similar to the reminiscence therapy model often used in memory care communities.
The benefits of reminiscence therapy, which involves supporting older adults in remembering past experiences, activities and events, are well established. Reminiscence can help improve cognitive function and reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in people living in memory care communities.
Dementia symptoms can make mealtimes more challenging, but adapting your dining rituals to meet your loved one's needs can help them get the most out of meals. Here are some tips for building calm, enjoyable dining experiences:
An overstimulating environment can make it harder for people with dementia to focus on their meal. Consider reducing background noise, such as the whirr of dishwashers and vacuum cleaners, to make the environment less distracting. Some older adults also find soothing music helpful for promoting calm.
Try not to get stressed if you experience difficulties during the meal. Stress can be contagious, so focus on staying calm and showing patience to your friend or family member.
For many people with dementia, cluttered table settings cause distraction and make it challenging to discern objects. Keep the number of objects on the table to a minimum, removing anything the person doesn't need to enjoy their meal.
Pastel colors and busy patterns often make it difficult to see plates and cutlery against the table surface. Therefore, it can be helpful to use plain, unpatterned plates and tablecloths in contrasting colors.
Physical coordination issues caused by dementia can make mealtimes messy. While it's natural to worry about stains and spills, showing your concern could make your loved one feel anxious or ashamed. Wipe-clean aprons, mats and covers make it easier to deal with spills sensitively.
While sitting with your loved one provides comfort during mealtimes, eating with them is an effective way to encourage them to eat more. Seeing you eat can help them remember what to do at mealtimes by copying your actions.
If your loved one's dementia symptoms make food less appetizing or harder to identify, try talking about the food on your plates to stimulate their appetite. Describe how the food looks, tastes and smells.
Encourage your loved one to eat independently, even if they're only able to manage a small amount unassisted. Coordination issues may make independent eating challenging. Avoid commenting negatively on their self-feeding skills, as this could make them feel self-conscious or upset.
If the person is unable to feed themselves, you or another caregiver will need to help them. Explain which food you are providing in each mouthful and ask whether the food is too hot or cold to make the experience safer and more dignified.
