Dementia Gateway: Eating well for people with dementia

The eating environment

Key messages

The environment in which a person with dementia eats will have an effect on how they eat.
People with dementia will not want to stay and eat in an environment in which they feel uncomfortable.
Understanding the impact of the mealtime environment can help us to improve the eating experience for people with dementia.

The eating environment needs to be calm and relaxed.

Explore the links below now to read more about this topic:

1. Introduction Open

The environment in which a person with dementia eats can have a huge impact on the mealtime experiences – it can affect a person's enjoyment of food and how much food they eat (see also the 'Kitchens and dining areas' feature in the 'Environment' section).

For many of us, the way food is presented and served, the surroundings and the company in which it is eaten all add to the satisfaction and enjoyment of eating a meal. This is equally important for a person with dementia: a good mealtime experience can have a positive impact on their health and sense of wellbeing.
2. Minimising distractions Open

Imagine you are in a restaurant with a group of friends and there is loud music playing or a live band playing close to your table. The restaurant is busy and the conversations around your table are loud. You are trying to make a choice from a long list of options on the menu as well as keep up with the conversation among the friends you are with.

The waiter is hovering and you are feeling pressure to choose your meal. It may be a challenge for you to concentrate on the conversation around you while choosing from the menu, but you will manage to make this choice and continue to converse with your friends despite everything else going on around you.

For a person with dementia a noisy environment can be confusing: it can make it difficult to concentrate and focus. So if you had dementia and you were in that noisy restaurant you may have just got up from the table and walked out as the music, conversation and waiter were all competing for your attention.

We need to be aware that people with dementia may struggle to concentrate at mealtimes if there are other distractions. The eating environment needs to be calm and relaxed. Switch off the television or turn down loud music to avoid distractions.
3. Feeling comfortable Open

A person with dementia may not be comfortable eating with other people or in an unfamiliar environment. They may have difficulty eating food and this can only make feelings of embarrassment worse if they are sitting with others. As a result, they may leave food uneaten.

Allow a person to sit and eat in a place where they feel comfortable, either at a table or perhaps sitting with a tray on their lap on a comfortable chair.
4. Sight problems Open

It is important to be aware that some people with dementia may experience visual impairments that make it difficult to see the food in front of them.

Describe the food you are offering and ensure that the food is presented colourfully and attractively. It should look good enough for anyone to eat.

Ensure the area in which a person with dementia eats is bright and well lit so they can see the food easily (see the 'Lighting' feature in'Environment' section).
5. Food memories Open

Food and images of food can also be used for reminiscing or part of reminiscence activities. This can help stimulate discussion and interest in food and mealtimes by helping the person to reconnect with familiar food from their past.

Over to you!

Click here to do a quick activity that will deepen your understanding of this topic. The activity can be done alone or with colleagues and you can also download a copy. Trainer's notes have also been provided.