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Everyone needs food and drink, and most of us have personal preferences. For people of a certain age mealtimes were an important part of the day. Families sat around the table eating and drinking together. Families shared their day together talking about their day. Everyone had the same meal, but children were restricted from certain foods and drinks. As a child, coffee was strictly off-limits. There was no such thing has processed food during my childhood. There are individuals who associate the introduction of processed food with an increased risk of dementia. Thinking back to my childhood I knew no one with dementia, they called it senility.

However, it is seldom that families dine together at the same time, seated around a table. Individuals with busy lifestyles often consume more processed foods, with ready meals being particularly prevalent. Does this relate to the significant rise in dementia diagnoses?

Individuals may choose to become vegan, vegetarian, or adopt other dietary practices due to personal beliefs they hold. A diagnosis of dementia does not alter a person’s beliefs.  However frequently observed in care home settings there is an attitude that the person with dementia no longer cares about their beliefs. Such actions should always be contested, as our beliefs remain unchanged even with a diagnosis of dementia. Often it is just easier in a care home setting to serve the same meal to residents. There are care homes who respect residents' beliefs around food.

Food for individuals with advanced dementia may need to be provided in different ways. For example, offering finger food is a much easier option for some people who are struggling to eat. Using colored crockery ensuring that individuals can differentiate the food from crockery helps the person with dementia to eat. It is essential to ensure that beverages are consistently accessible, particularly in care home environments. A recent innovation using water in jelly drops to help individuals with difficulty drinking has proven highly successful for those in advanced stages of dementia.

 Eating and drinking should be an enjoyable experience no matter who you are. Most residents in care homes are given the option to sit at a table. Sitting around tables in care homes can evoke memories of sitting around the table with family.

Instead of reserving our best crockery and cutlery for rare special occasions, we should use them regularly, as eating with nice crockery evokes pleasant memories. We should all practice to ensure that eating and drinking at meal times is a pleasant experience.