Mother’s Day photo features: Strawberry Rhubarb Masque by Eminence Organic Skin Care

Our Mother’s Day facials were nourishing and fun — we had a playful time applying the different products, and especially enjoyed the Strawberry Rhubarb masque. Everyone was glowing afterwards. During each step of the facials I felt the group become more at ease and share in the experience with plenty of laughter. Many mother-daughter and family photos captured the moment.

This kind of activity takes thought and organization, but was not difficult or time consuming. And the effect has been lasting. Bringing our family members into the planning and participation is one of my favorite parts of the day because we became more connected in a joyful way, and have more dialogue about upcoming activities and outings together.

The Strawberry Rhubarb masque felt and smelled so wonderful, the best word I could come up with is nourishing. Nourishment is at its core a necessity for survival. Most of us take it for granted in our day to day, busy lives. Robust, healthy nourishment is a cornerstone for wellbeing and takes quite a lot of thought for our loved ones living with dementia, and for ourselves as their caregivers.

Literature about brain health now includes more research on diet and cognitive benefits. Dale Bredesen MD emphasizes anti-inflammatory foods in his book The End of Alzheimer’s, and Gary Small MD identifies the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in his book The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. For meal planning at Creekside Cottage and Creekside Place we face the same challenges all caregivers deal with when trying to plan, cook and serve healthy foods. Brain changes from dementia affect taste, swallowing, sensory perception, fine motor skills for using utensils, and decision making around what foods are healthy. Many elders also have various levels of lactose intolerance that can wreak havoc on their digestive system. The science and literature about diet are improving, but in the meantime we as caregivers need to be realistic and creative to get those healthy calories into our meal planning. Realistic in terms of time for preparing a meal and how our loved ones with dementia will experience it. It never fails that when I spend the most time on a meal, that will be the one that residents will send back in distaste. Simple, but yummy, I have discovered is usually best.

So, paying attention to what foods a loved one likes is super important. Is it sweets? Then let’s serve yogurt parfaits layered with berries and topped with coconut whipped cream for a protein rich breakfast that tastes like dessert. Make one for yourself! Or a turkey sandwich with sweet cranberry chutney cut into bite size pieces, served with a berry smoothie. (Frozen berries and veggies are just as healthy as fresh and help with maintaining a go-to pantry for tasty meals.)

(Photo: spinach and cheese tortellini in vegetable broth with summer squash, also blended with a little oat milk for a creamy version).

As dementia progresses we get even more creative. Holding a cup to sip a creamy soup will become easier to get those important healthy calories in. Plus—and it’s a BIG plus—soup can be very hydrating. Check out Rebecca Katz (www.rebeccakatz.com) and her flavorful carrot ginger soup, using a creamy nut butter for protein. She infuses flavor with easy tips like making citrus marinades, adding cashew milk to replace cream, or blending spices with appetite stimulants like cumin. We prepare soups frequently and use recipes that allow us to portion out what is needed for our Bullet blender to help those needing an easier way to enjoy their meal.