If dinner with a loved one who has dementia has turned into a nightly struggle, you’re not alone, and it isn’t anyone’s fault. Dementia can disrupt the brain’s hunger and thirst signaling, and it can impair the motor and sensory skills it takes to move food from plate to mouth. That’s why experts like Dr. Rhea Rogers and aging specialist Amy O’Rourke recommend small, practical adjustments: serve finger foods, stay flexible at the table, and accept that taste can shift suddenly and without warning.
There’s a second challenge many Suncoast families face: an older parent who flatly refuses therapy. Often it comes from an era when mental health was kept hidden underneath the rug. Experts suggest reframing the idea, calling it education, a class or a book rather than counseling, which can lower the barrier enough to start the conversation.
One reminder that caregiving doesn’t have to be all heavy lifting: a South Carolina ukulele group called Ukes by the Sea, whose director says it’s hard to play a ukulele and frown at the same time. Joy is a legitimate caregiving tool. For local support, reach out to Suncoast aging services and caregiver groups in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
What’s one small change that made mealtimes easier in your family? Share it in the comments, you might help a neighbor.
