My Blog

Hi there, I’m Zana, and the idea for this blog came about 5 years ago, when my mom was diagnosed with mild dementia. After crying and feeling angry, I finally realized I had to find a way to stay positive and provide the support my mom would need. I started thinking about what we could do together that would keep her engaged in everyday life as much as possible. I love my mom too much to let her drift off or check out! This was the beginning of our new journey together.

While researching Alzheimer’s, I kept reading about how the elderly stopped eating and ultimately lost their sense of taste. I believe their lack of eating contributed to their declining health. I remembered that back in the day, my mom was a fantastic cook. As a child, and later as an adult, there were very few meals she prepared that I didn’t like. I also remember my mom preparing food for friends and family who were ill or not able to cook for themselves.

Although not nearly as good a cook as my mom, I thought I could prepare meals for her that she would enjoy. Knowing that keeping things familiar helps dementia patients, I decided to cook meals from my childhood. In an attempt to keep her involved, I asked her if she can remember some of her recipes and/ or cooking methods. Based on my memory and culinary skills, along with her input, I know we can do this.

Some days are better than others, but I know that any opportunity to spend time with her and share meals is priceless. Her comments about how she likes the food confirms she still enjoys eating; when she asks for another portion, I know I did a good job.