The Benefits of Cooking and Baking For The Older Generation

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Many of us have wonderful memories when it comes to cooking, baking or being in the kitchen in general. Despite all the happy memories, many older adults do not cook or bake as often as they once used to, either due to physical difficulties or reduced appetite. This is unfortunate as baking and cooking can provide many benefits for the older generation, from improving their appetite to engaging them with creativity and socialisation.

Continue reading to find out some of the benefits of cooking and baking, we can really see how hobbies can help keep ones mind active and engaged.

The Amazing Benefits of Baking & Cooking

Creative Expression: Cooking is an excellent hobby for anyone who is looking to express their creativity whilst making something useful and not only is it a fun form of self-expression, but studies have been linked to an increased wellbeing. There are many different ways you can get creative in the kitchen, from following a recipe and baking a cake or delicious home-cooked meal to cake or biscuit decorating, both baking and cooking allows older people to express their creative side in a fun and constructive way.

Socialisation: Sharing and cooking meals is the perfect opportunity for socialisation and as we get older, many people can start to feel isolated and lonely, therefore when you’re cooking or sharing a meal together, it can help from positive memories, getting you socialising. Cooking and baking can provide other sociable opportunities within your community, more than you realise, even if you’re not actively cooking or baking, for example visiting the local butchers to enjoying some chats with the sales teams within the local supermarkets. Cooking and baking is a great way for older people to engage in conversations, socialising with others.

Nutritional Value: As we get older, taking care of both our mental and physical health becomes even more important to living a long and healthy life. Beyond the psychological benefits of cooking, even your own meals and baking, preparing food also allows you to control the ingredients and eat healthier. This is one of the huge benefits when it comes to moving into a care home in Clydebank. Within Kingsacre Care Home, our residents can find an exciting and varied menu on offer each day as we have an onsite chef along with some kitchen staff who cater for food preferences, nutritional and dietary requirements. All meals are freshly prepared for by our chef, some with our own ingredients, meaning we can make sure we always use fresh ingredients, accommodating to all tastes and requirements.

Increased Appetite: As we get older, it’s normal to notice a decrease in appetite, however, it is always important to address a lack of appetite as it can lead to poor nutrition and even mental or physical problems. When an older adult gets involved with baking or cooking, it can help increase their appetite, they can get more excited about trying the food they’re making. Additionally, the delicious aromas that come from cooking can help stimulate their senses which can also lead to an increased appetite.

Trigger Happy Memories: As mentioned briefly above, most people have fond memories of family dinners and other social gathering which involve food. The scents and even sights of cooking or baking can trigger those memories, which can be helpful for those living with dementia. The best way to help an older individual relive those memories is to find an old family recipe or choose a previous favourite dish and recreate it together.

Baking & Dementia

Dementia as we know, comes with a range of emotional side affects, one including agitation. However, culinary therapy is an effective way to build excitement and strengthen pleasant emotional responses. For those living with depression, dementia or any other mental health problem, baking can actually act as a therapeutic respite from negative thoughts as it’s a task which requires focus, attention and hand eye coordination meaning there is less room for negative thoughts to settle and grow.

Baking has been proven to be an effective way to bolster relationships with food, some of the benefits include:

Encourage positive behaviour
Promote of a sense of self & purpose
Stress reduction & irritability
Maintain self-worth & dignity
Contribute towards positive feelings such as passion & joy

Supporting Older People with Cooking & Baking

If you’re looking for a care home within West Dunbartonshire, Kingsacre is the one for you. We’re always encouraging our residents to get involved with cooking or baking, they find joy within this rewarding act. If you’re unsure and maybe want some helpful tips to start with before possibly needing to move into a residential home, we’ve put some together for you:

Find recipes that are easy and suited to your loved ones abilities, or even family traditions.
Involve your loved one as much as possible, repetitive activities such as kneading bread or mixing is soothing and easy for anyones cooking skills. Remember it can be difficult for them to admit if the activity is too difficult, so be patient and gentle.
Ensure all kitchen equipment is safe and good to use, from testing any carbon monoxide or fire detectors.
Remain flexible, the main point of doing an activity like this is to have fun, spending time together, not to achieve perfection.

Easy Recipes to try

Some recipes we love to cook and bake for our residents include the following:

Rice crispy cakes, cornflake cakes or chocolate nests
Banana bread
Victoria sponge
Baking & decorating cookies
Create your own pizza
Pasta dishes
Homemade bread

And so much more, websites such as BBC Good Food is an excellent place to start for some inspiration.

Benefits of A Luxury Care Home in West Dunbartonshire

If you or a loved one can’t enjoy activities such as cooking and baking like you one did, a care home can help. There are many advantages of residential care homes, not only from the help, care and support but also enabling you to live an independent and active lifestyle. By residing into a care home, care assistants can also help with a number of tasks from personal care such as washing and dressing, to trips within the community. On top of all the support and care, care assistants and other residents can provide friendships and companionships.

Kingsacre is a purpose-built care home in West Dunbartonshire, near the historic town of Clydebank. Our care home is proud to offer outstanding levels of Nursing Care, Residential Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care and Palliative Care for up to 66 residents. Our staff here are genuine and dedicated to what they do, we take huge pride in not relying on external agencies, making sure every team member is committed to providing exceptional levels of care.

Our values and ethos revolve around creating a warm, family-like environment, where residents and their families feel supported and valued. Beyond our commitment to residents, we extend our care to encompass their families as well, recognising their peace of mind is of greatest importance. We’re more than just a care home, we’re a compassionate community where everyone is welcome, cared for and supported.

If you’d like any more information about our care home, our activities programme or the care we provide, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us today and our friendly team will be able to answer any questions you may have.