So where my dementing mother lives they had a BBQ last Friday and all family members were invited. The crew really works hard to do this sort of an affair...everyone has their place and they seat family all together and the turn out was good.

As one progresses in Alzheimer's disease it becomes time when they can't remember what chewing is and at the risk of choking, or inhaling it into their lungs their food is puréed...

 In my mom's case the fact that she wasn't chewing and her false teeth were smelling ; cause she didn't want to brush them...She didn't remember how to remove them and if the caregivers tried she would bite them...It took some doing but we were able to remove them without anyone getting hurt.

It certainly changed her looks and the first time she was sitting the dining room I passed her right up! Anyway I am there often to help her eat her meals. although honestly she does well by herself,cleaning every bit of her food off the plate...

 I have tasted the food that she is given because if I expect her to eat I best be able to also...and it is very tasty and they make it in the shape of whatever meat they are serving. One pile of food was a mushie green and I asked "what is this?" it was a green salad with dressing...now I have to admit it sure didn't look like it, but it tasted just like it,it was delicious.

When they have a BD party with cake, they put her's ( and several other's, she isn't alone in this) in a small bowl with milk on the bottom so it soaks into the cake a makes it easy to eat. She enjoys her food now and has not lost any weight.

So on this BBQ day when they served everyone their delicious cheeseburgers with a tomato, green lettuce, cheese and a pickle her bright blue eyes lit up and she so smiled...Then they brought her plate to her with piles of her food pureed..but in the shape of a round burger with soaked bread and it was warm and her salad and beans...I offered a bite of my food which she gladly took ( I mashed it though) and soon was spitting it out into her napkin...seems when they get used to pureed anything else is strange to them...she then happily joined in the meal with pleasure and much conversation.

She has become quite vocal as of late and though she never complete's a sentence she says enough that I can get the drift of what she is talking about...though coupled with her loss of hearing (refusing/even lost her hearing aides)and her poor eyesight ( can't remember what glasses are for) she is very interesting and we go many places in our minds...mostly back, back to her beginning and growing up and the Farm...

 Although on Friday she did ask me where her husband was? He died now 6-7 yrs ago, but I said "Oh you know these men, mom they went fishing again". she laughed and we discussed fish for a while...sorta... It is never a good thing to tell that a loved one has died...they go into a grieving and can become very upset...

We went outside for a walk in the warm sun, which lastest about 10 min. then she wanted to take a nap, which is what most of them do after so much has gone on...so back to her room we went...I left her sleeping in a comfy spot, with her stuffed teddybear in her arms with the promise of my return...

God Bless Her and the Caregivers...it is a comfort to me that she is well cared for and that my dad was smart enough to get Long Term Insurance for this very reason..I Love her so and is tough sometimes; but we have learned to "Live in the Moment" and seems to be fine...