We have a guest post from Dee, who has some great ideas for finger foods for Alzheimer’s patients.  Dee is a health care seminar trainer and dementia practitioner.  Most of these ideas/recipes are very simple to prepare and easy for the patient to eat. 

Finger Foods are great for continuing independence at meal time. If you choose to use a utensil – only put one choice. Ideas for fingerfoods are only limited by your imagination. Have a child help you with ideas – they LOVE helping, and can come up with some super ideas for solving many problems.

Finger food ideas:
* French toast – made with egg, ensure, cinnamon, and protein powder.
* Jelled delight – jello crystals, 1 small pack unflavored gelatin, 3/4 c-BOILING water to dissolve. Add vanilla ensure for the rest of the liquid the directions on the box call for. Mix thoroughly. When gelled – cut into squares. Can be picked up with fingers OR fork – and it’s nutritious.
* Crackers with cream cheese spread. Spread is cream cheese and one or two of the following: ground ham, ground spinach, ground onion and cucumber, or any food taste that your loved one enjoys.
* Puree meats and add to gelled broth cubes (made with unflavored gelatin). You can gel fresh mashed potatoes so they can be picked up. Experiment.
* Ham or beef chunks
*Puree beans and put into a muffin
*Carrot bran muffins (lower the sugar, use unsweetened apple juice for the liquid or milk and protein powder – and you have something nutritious AND tasty. Make 1/2 muffins – they are not as high and easier to handle.
*Cook carrot sticks until ALMOST soft – where they are easy to chew and still stay together.
*Long cucumber wedges. Try lemon juice and a ‘little’ chili pepper on them – tasty and will tingle the taste buds.
*Egg sandwiches in hot dog buns
*Graham crackers with fruit flavored cream cheese- or for a treat-marshmallow spread and tiny chocolate chips
*Wraps – TRY these: fresh fruit wraps (bananas lengthwise, berries, thin apples), lunchmeat and cheese, meat and cucumber sliced thinly lengthwise, and cooked (cooled) celery and carrots wrapped up with lettuce and meat. Wow – the choices are unlimited. Enjoy

(Amazon image)

Post from: Blisstree

Alzheimer’s Finger Foods Suggestions

Cheryl has a question, after reading my post, Finger Foods for Alzheimer’s Patients:

My father is also in the same stage, he no longer uses utensils while eating. In order to give him his dignity we are starting finger foods; I should say the home he is residing in suggested this. He loves to eat!! I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for some hot meal fingerfoods.

The best I can suggest is to cut foods, like meat and vegetables, into smaller pieces he can pick up with his fingers.  For instance, you might serve steak, chicken, roast beef, carrots, green beans.  These will be a warm meal, but cut in pieces he can pick up and pop into his mouth easily.

This is something you tell a child, “No, use your fork (or spoon)!”  But in his case, using his fingers would be completely acceptable.

Does anyone else have suggestions?

(Amazon image)

Post from: Blisstree

Hot Meal Finger Foods for Alzheimer’s Patients

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away, “ was a saying when I was a child.  So we ate raw apples in season, as well as applesauce, canned stewed apples, and apple desserts throughout the year.

I often take an apple in my lunch and have always enjoyed them.  My dad raised apples, a sideline on our dairy farm.

Researchers now conclude that apples, along with bananas and oranges, may help with neurological diseases, including Alzheimers.  This information came out in a report today, Consumption of Fruits May Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease..

A new study in the Journal of Food Science explores the additional health benefits of these fruits and reveals they also protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease.

Apples ranked first, followed by bananas, then oranges as containing the highest amount of protective antioxidents.

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

Post from: Blisstree

Apples May Be Good for Alzheimer’s, too.