This article is based on information provided by Home Instead Senior Care.
Your loved one may want to eat turkey or a piece of chocolate every day, even more than once a day. Food jags are common for people with dementia, and they should not be a problem as long as a good general diet is maintained. The following suggestions may help you to respond when your loved one requests a certain food over and over:
· Allow him or her to have the desired food, as long as the overall diet is balanced. It’s all right to serve the same entrée or a sweet every day.
· Serve the same food more than once in a day if it’s requested.
· Ask the physician for advice on vitamins and supplements if the diet appears to lack balance.
· Try preparing the food in a variety of ways: A broiled turkey breast might be rejected, for example, while roasted turkey with mashed potatoes or a turkey soup might be eaten without a protest.
· Experiment with old family favorites from your loved one’s childhood or young adulthood; these are often still remembered and favored.