Setting a Place at the Christmas Dinner for Your Loved One with Dementia

Family gatherings are in full swing for the holidays.

It is an important issue to families seeking to have a nice dinner with a loved one who has dementia.

There are simple techniques that can be used by caregivers to make their holiday meal and every meal much less of a challenge.

For example, cover table with a tablecloth of dark material and use high-rimmed plates, a napkin and spoon in very bright contrasting colors.

This will help your loved one deal with complications from dementia which often causes vision issues.

Food choices should also have contrasting colors. Putting potatoes near corn may appear similar and create confusion or frustration. 

The idea is to make the foods easier to see and easier to tell apart.

Approximately 70 percent of people with dementia or cognitive impairment are living at home. 

Being prepared for regular  food and fluid consumption as well as pain management are critical, but so is  social engagement. 

If possible, keep the person’s familiar eating and dining routines as long as they are practical and promote eating and drinking.

Promote snacking throughout the day because they may not always be able to eat a lot at the formal meal.

We attached Tuesday's interview with memory expert Kendra Cieslak of Brookdale Senior Living to this article.