The Promotion of Comfort Foods for People with Dementia

Generally, comfort foods are those that adults eat which provide pleasurable memories from childhood. An association of a food that provides comfort could have been formed from the following:

• The food produces a release of chemicals in the brain that improves mood
• Provides feelings of safety, love or appreciation based on childhood or adult memories
• Associated with gift giving or rewards, examples are chocolate or candy
• A craving that is the body’s natural response to a nutrient deficiency

Comfort foods can range from being less healthy snackrelated foods (potato chips or candy) to healthier meal-related comfort foods like salads or soups. Comfort foods are diverse based on one’s culture, taste preferences, or gender. Research shows, for example, that women usually prefer snacks while men prefer meals.

For the person with dementia, comfort foods can be foods that provide contentment or emotional well-being and encourage oral intake when experiencing poor appetite, weight loss or depression. To help maintain weight, food that the person enjoys to eat should be encouraged, even if they are not considered a healthy option. Recipes can be modified though if dietary restrictions are a concern. For example, if your relative has high blood pressure, foods can be flavored with natural herbs and flavorings instead of salt.

Another important factor that should be taken into consideration is the person’s ability to chew and swallow. Some comfort foods may need to be altered to ease in chewing and prevent choking or coughing. The following is an example of an easy to chew comfort food from the Caribbean.

This is the 9 th in a series of articles on the nutritional and feeding needs of persons with AD.

Linnea Matulat is a Nutritionist at GLWD, a non-profit agency in NYC that provides meals to men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, Cancer, AD and many other serious illnesses who are unable to shop or prepare meals for themselves. The agency’s team of experienced nutritionists also provides nutrition education,information and counseling in individual and group sessions to clients, their caregivers and other service providers. In partnership with GLWD, the NYC Chapter is pleased to offer this service to persons with dementia and their families. For more information, please call the Chapter’s 24-hour Helpline at 800-272-3900.

To obtain more individualized nutrition information, the nutrition department of GLWD can be reached at
212-294-8103 or 1-800-747-2023 or by visiting www.glwd.org.

— Linnea Matulat, MS, RD, CDN
Nutritionist
God’s Love We Deliver

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