Dear Jido,
A specialist recommended that my father should try a particular diet that may help with his early on-set dementia and other cognitive problems he is experiencing. He doesn’t seem resistant to trying it, but my mother isn’t being supportive at all, and is unwilling to change her diet. I have explained to her that this would be easier for Dad if she joined him and expressed interest in changing her diet with him – but she does not think it is necessary. I know I can’t control her, but it’s hard for me to watch my father decline and for my mom to avoid any potential ways to support him. How can I nudge her, or find other ways to help him deal with this?
Signed,
Food for Thought
Dear Thoughtful,
I’m sure that Mom loves Dad and would do whatever she can to keep him healthy. It’s important for you to understand that it’s not easy for seniors to change their habits – especially about food.
Assure your mom that you’re not talking about giving up mazza or mechshe. She’s also not changing her recipes to a keto, gluten-free, or low-salt diet (which is not such a bad idea anyway).
You’re looking to change black coffee to black tea, Coke and Pepsi to orange juice, iceberg lettuce to green leafy, and cookies to nuts and berries.
Start slow. Maybe YOU go shopping and stock up on just one of these “new” items at a time. Slowly introduce the new stuff and do away with as much of the bad stuff as you can.
If your “specialist” is insisting that your father go cold turkey (that’s a methodology not a food), switch specialists.
Dementia onslaught is a slow process. Reversing or stalling it is also a slow process. Use the same slow process to ease your father’s diet into a healthier regimen.
He should be well.
Jido