THE DEMENTIA DIET
Ghillie Basan has spent her career developing delicious recipes, but when her mother became ill mealtimes provided a whole new challenge for the cookery writer, she tells JOAN MCFADDEN
AS AN award-winning cookery writer, Ghillie Basan has years of experience combining good nutrition with taste and texture. It’s clearly a trait she inherited. Her mother Frances, a retired doctor, also loved cooking and entertaining, so when she lost interest in food, Scotlandbased Ghillie noticed very quickly.
“My mother lived about 30 miles from me in Braemar and we saw a lot of each other,” says Ghillie, who has written more than 40 cookbooks, largely containing recipes from the Middle East.
“She loved coming to my house near Tomintoul and always says it was her favourite place.We’d sit on the deck looking out at the view and enjoy a meal and a glass of wine.At her own home, she’d have friends round frequently for dinner or make something special for me and my children.”
When Ghillie’s father Bill died eight years ago, Frances began visiting her daughter even more often. “She missed my father but was still a very independent and capable person until about four years ago,” says Ghillie.
“My children and I spent much more time with her after my father died and she’d come to stay with us, but she was interested and involved in everything.
“Her eating habits changing was one of the first things that made me suspect she was developing dementia.”
FRANCES stopped shopping, cooking and inviting her friends over, though they, along with neighbours, still visited. “It was clear she needed help so I went to her GP and the local social work department,” says Ghillie.
“I was horrified to discover there were only two care workers covering the whole of Deeside and neither were available for my mother, so I gave up everything to become her carer and, when I couldn’t be there, I organised local ‘pop-in’ visitors to check her fire was on, she had food and her dog was walked, all of which she paid for herself.”
At first, Frances, who is now 93, would remember to eat if the food was actually there, especially if someone reminded her.
“I did her shopping and either took her meals I had cooked or bought ready-made oven dishes,” Ghillie says. “I got her salad and the kind of fruits she loved – figs, cherries, plums and grapes as they were juicy, sweet and easy to eat.
“She needed encouragement and I found that eating with her and talking about places where she’d enjoyed certain foods was a good way to get her to eat them.”
As her condition deteriorated, Frances would only sit down to a proper meal if it was put in front of her.While alone, she snacked a lot, eating cheese and biscuits and bits of salad.
Ghillie knew which foods her mother would be most likely to eat, so she made sure these were always available. “Mum loved cheeses, pate, olives and mezzestyle dishes – simple, tasty food that went well with her glasses of wine. I wasn’t aiming for a meal structure. It was more important to know she was getting enough to eat and drink – the time of day didn’t matter. She would even get up in the night and have a snack.”
Eventually Ghillie had to organise live-in care as she needed to return to work to support her family. “One carer was a good cook and enjoyed making meals, so she made sure my mother was wellfed, but I usually had to organise food where the others were concerned. I’d prepare the meals and they’d heat and serve them.”
The years spent caring for her mother – in particular, finding meals she could eat and enjoy – have given Ghillie a better understanding of the nutritional needs of those with dementia.
She says common sense and a creative approach can help. “The
key is to choose foods that are easy to eat but full of nutrition,” she explains. “Finger foods can give back some control, especially when cutlery is no longer so easy to manage. Brightly coloured food worked with my mother because she had always enjoyed exotic foods and would still eat them if the portions weren’t too big.” Ghillie also believes in making mealtimes as pleasant as possible, giving carers a chance to relax too.
“Sitting down and chatting over food is much better for everyone than stressing about every mouthful,” she says.
“People with dementia often revert to the favourite foods of their childhood, as well as finding creamy, smooth foods and sweet things enjoyable, especially if they have difficulty chewing. “Things that melt in the mouth and slip down the throat easily – mash, custards and stews – are best.
“It’s worth trying different foods to find out what they still have an interest in. “Maybe they’ll have a liking for something they denied themselves as an adult and while you wouldn’t want them living on cakes and biscuits, a little treat can help keep calories up.”
The time spent feeding her mother taught Ghillie that creating a healthy diet for people with dementia needn’t be complicated or require new skills. “Keep portions small and try not to get stressed,” she advises. “I wouldn’t stop someone eating pudding if they haven’t eaten their main meal, but I’ve seen carers treat my mother like a naughty little girl if she tucked in to her dessert first.
“Instead, I’d put one dish on the table at a time and work out what food they like best and what they need encouragement with. It can be lovely to share meals and if the person you’re caring for wants to help set the table or prepare the food, be patient and let them help.
“Chat to them as you eat.You’re more likely to get someone with dementia to eat if you’re relaxed about it and eating with them.”
When, three years ago, it was time for Frances to go into a care home, Ghillie struggled. “It’s hard to accept that I’m not caring for her day-to-day and feeding her the food she loves, but the main thing is she’s being well looked after.
“Since she went there, mum has developed a taste for sweet foods – sugar in her coffee, chocolate cake and biscuits.
“Food is also a wonderful way to connect with someone with dementia and I’m so happy mum will still eat little tastes of some of the things I take her when I visit.”
● Call Dementia UK on 0800 888 6678 or visit dementiauk.org for information and advice.