Living with Dementia and Its Influence on Appetite and Taste
- Sandra White
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
Dementia Care Insights
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental abilities, severe enough to interfere with daily life. It manifests itself with memory loss, poor judgement, and difficulty with language and problem-solving. These changes are due to physical damage in the brain, and are not a normal part of aging.
Some Examples of types of dementia:
The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, but other conditions like vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.
How Dementia Changes the Dining Experience
When caring for someone with dementia, mealtime challenges can be unexpected and frustrating. Changes in appetite, food preferences, and eating behaviors are common but often misunderstood symptoms that can significantly impact nutrition and quality of life.
Why Taste and Appetite Change with Dementia
Dementia doesn't just affect memory and cognition—it transforms sensory experiences too.
Dementia Impact on Food Intake
Dementia can significantly impact appetite and taste perception. People with dementia may experience a reduced appetite due to changes in taste and smell, or they might forget to eat or drink.
Appetite Changes
Dementia can cause a loss of interest in food, leading to refusal to eat or spit out food. This can be due to various factors, including reduced taste and smell, forgetfulness about meals, or difficulty recognizing hunger signals. On the other hand, some individuals with dementia may eat excessively or frequently, potentially due to forgetting they have recently eaten. There can be a shift in food preferences, with some individuals developing a craving for sweets, salty foods, or unusual flavor combinations.
Taste Changes
As dementia progresses, the senses of taste and smell can diminish, making food seem less appealing and potentially leading to weight loss and malnutrition. Dementia can also alter taste perception, causing favorite foods to taste bland or unappetizing.
Forgetfulness
People with dementia may forget to eat or drink, or forget that they have already eaten.
7 Practical Tips for Better Mealtimes
Serve colorful foods that create visual appeal—our eyes influence our appetite significantly.
Focus on nutrient-dense foods foods that deliver maximum nutrition in smaller portions.
Make a calm and comfortable mealtime environment.
Offer small, frequent meals and snacks.
Use herbs, spices, and marinades to enhance taste.
Offer water throughout the day to ensure proper hydration.
Assist with eating as needed.
Consult with a healthcare provider or nutritionist about nutritional needs and potential supplements.
Our Seasoning Blend recipe for Marinade to flavor meat, poultry (chicken & turkey), salmon, and shellfish. Classic recipe: Dissolve 4 & 1/2 Tb Laforest Savors Seasoning Blend in 3/4 cup hot water or boil for 3 seconds for an even more robust flavor. Then, add 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar) & 2 Tb oil. Stir well and marinade is ready!
Take the time to marinate from the start and reap big taste rewards at the end.
General rules of thumb:
Fish and seafood: 15 to 30 minutes
Chicken: 30 minutes to 2 hours
Turkey Wings: 2 hours to overnight
Pork or Beef: Up to 12 hours
Our website content and products are for informational purposes only. Laforest Savors does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional.
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