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Food

Improving the person’s eating habits

Even if you’re serving the person healthy meals, you may find they’re becoming increasingly focused on sugary treats. They may be less interested in meals and prefer to live on treats.

While occasional treats are fine, skipping proper nutritious meals in favour of cakes or biscuits is clearly not healthy.

Sometimes, they may be eating too many snacks and gaining weight. This can be a common occurrence in a person with dementia.

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Why does a person with dementia have cravings for sweet foods?

There are various reasons why cravings can occur…

  • Some medications can cause cravings.

  • Dementia can affect insulin production in the brain, and it can drop when a person has dementia.

  • The disease can also affect the part of the brain that deals with inhibitions and self-restraint.

  • The person may also find that their taste buds diminish, and they may have a loss of taste or smell.

  • If the person is depressed or suffering from anxiety, sweets can offer a temporary boost in mood.

Coping with cravings

Here are some things you can do to help curb cravings and ensure that the person maintains a healthy, balanced diet…

  • Offer fruits like berries to curb cravings. These are nice and sweet and will also help the person remain hydrated.

  • Include protein and healthy fats in meals to prevent sugar crashes. Protein can help a person feel fuller for longer, preventing or reducing cravings.

  • Combat boredom with stimulating activities – encourage the person to go for a walk if you feel they are eating through boredom.

  • Limit alcohol intake before meals – alcohol can impair our self-restraint, making us more likely to overeat at mealtimes.

  • Detox the home – there’s no reason why the person can’t have sweet treats in the fridge or cupboard, but make sure there’s not a huge supply, or they may all get eaten in one go!

  • Share sugary treats – if the person wants a sugary snack or pudding, share it between you.

How to encourage healthy eating

Encouraging healthy eating habits is essential for a person with dementia. Here are some things you can try:

• Ensure meals are visually and aromatically appealing.

• Serve smaller portions for easier consumption.

• Offer softer foods like soups or scrambled eggs if chewing is difficult.

• Provide finger foods for those struggling with cutlery use.

• Create a calm mealtime environment without distractions.

• Serve finger foods so that they don’t have to worry about using cutlery

• Add healthy greens to sandwiches like lettuce and cucumber

• Don’t serve large meals, as these can be daunting. Small meals more often will be better.

• Cut up food if it’s difficult to eat – some meats for instance will be easier to eat if they have been cut up first. Mash potato may be a better choice than boiled potatoes.

• If swallowing suddenly becomes an issue, offer moist foods and consult a GP promptly.