Dementia Support Line
Activity ideas for people with dementia to enjoy being involved with food
From the June/July 2016 issue of our magazine, read about how being included in planning meals and in buying, cooking, eating and clearing up after food is something that many people with dementia enjoy.
Preparing meals can be an important part of a person's identity, and breaking activities down into steps could help someone to take part.
A special activity could involve looking at a range of fruit or cheeses, which the person might also help in choosing and buying. These could be labelled and cut into small pieces for tasting, and the different colours, textures and aromas discussed.
Whole fruits can be handled and smelled, including unusual varieties. Cheeses might be enjoyed with chutney or pickle, and washed down with water, juice or wine.
It can also be fun to recall sweetshop memories. Use a variety of retro sweets as prompts to reminisce and share favourites. If someone didn't go to sweetshops, perhaps something else could be as evocative – for example, Indian sweets.
