Eating and Drinking Well With Dementia

Food provides so much more than vital nutrition – it can provide joy and bring people together. Both ageing and the progression of dementia may mean that some people experience problems with eating and drinking and find mealtimes less enjoyable. However, people living with dementia can find enjoyment in the taste and presentation of food.
One of the biggest dietary changes as we age is that our nutritional requirement goes up, but our appetite goes down. One way of ensuring this is addressed is through a high-nutrient diet. Eva Humphries, our expert nutritionist at KYN advocates that people living with dementia should enjoy a food-first approach helping people to gain as many nutrients as possible from food, rather than through calories.

Our taste also changes over time, and these changes may be more pronounced for someone living with dementia who may find certain colours, textures or smells off-putting, or sometimes they may eat certain foods they previously wouldn’t have. An increasingly sweet tooth can also be common, so it is advisable to provide good quality chocolate that can help satisfy sweet cravings in the best possible way. Incorporating protein into meal options and snacks is also important, as older people tend to lack protein. Snacks such as smoothies, mousses, and sweet and savoury items can also be helpful to stimulate appetite and appeal to a wide range of taste buds.

Mealtimes are social occasions and provide an opportunity to enjoy time with other people. Sometimes a person living with dementia may find their ability to spontaneously eat and drink is affected. A simple and effective way to support someone with this is a technique called ‘mirroring’. Simply sitting with the person and enjoying a meal or a cup of tea with them, may trigger them to ‘mirror’ your actions, without the need to tell them what to do, helping them maintain their independence.

Food can be quite evocative and take people back to past memories, with different smells, tastes and textures bringing these to life. We know that nostalgia is an important element in encouraging people living with dementia to eat well. Traditional favourites such as Shepherd’s pie or fish and chips can be popular options if cooked healthily and nutritiously. It might be that childhood meals become firm favourites in later life, so adapting and tailoring food as much as possible to the wishes/preferences of people living with dementia can provide so much more than just a satisfying meal.