Need help with quick easy meals for parents with Alzhiemers/Elderly?

[Sunny]

I am moving into a whole new phase of life it seems. You have all these ideas about how life is going to turn out and it's just different.

I thought I'd have a home, husband, children around to enjoy life with, maybe even grandchildren, and begin enjoying the fruits of my labors.

However, it seems my labor will not end. None of those things have happened, and now I'm watching my sister have to move overseas so she can survive, my other sister is suddenly seeing her only child develop grand maul seizures and her life is completely changing, and I am finding myself being the only one near my parents to help them in their time of need as well.

My mom has developed Alzheimers and my dad is getting physically to the point of struggle. Lots of unwritten details here, but at this point I am the only one around to care for them, and there is no one to care for me. LOL God sure knows how to grow us up!

I am going to try to take the strain off my dad by preparing as many meals for them as I can, and take them into town when I am running around like crazy.

I am hoping you can all give me ideas on things to fix that will fit a certain criteria..... :idunno

Not too expensive.
Easy to throw together.
Healthy.
Will feed two.
Will transport in little Corningware containers.
Easy for my dad to throw in the oven.
Also open to other suggestions....

Today I fixed 4 items. They were all quite simple and quick, easy to throw together and travel. Easy for my dad to reconstruct and prepare. They all went into Corningware containers that can go from fridge to oven to table to dishwasher.

I put two frozen Tilapia fillets into one with sprinkled lemon pepper herbs.

I quickly boiled up some whole wheat couscous, and seasoned it with herbs and broth for another.

I put some frozen summer squash in another, sprinkled with seasoned bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of butter.

Then I chopped up some apples and sprinkled them with quick oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter to make a very quick little apple crisp dessert.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2980883889_a645b6d8aa_o.jpg

So you see they were all easily thrown together without much prep. Went right into dishes that could later be thrown in the oven for an easy meal for my dad to fix. I just taped instructions on each one, and then wrote a master list on an index card to tell him how to heat the oven and when to put each one in so that it would all be ready at 6.

Preheat oven to 350 at 5
Put in dessert at 5:15
Put in veggies at 5:30
Put in fish and couscous at 5:45

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/2980884631_c4e81e8515_o.jpg

I know I will quickly run out of easy ideas this way. So would love to have lots of ideas to use. If you even had a whole menu plan at once, that would be awesome. It would be great if I had about 10 entire meal plans that I could rotate for them, so they wouldn't get too tired.

Thank you! :hug

[Biblenuggetlady]

Valerie, check into the Angel Food Ministry. They sell, once a month for $30, frozen fully prepared low salt meals formulated for the elderly. Each meal will feed both your parents. They are pre-made, frozen, and just need to be heated. A lot of seniors in our area use them. You might look into Meals on Wheels, they will deliver hot lunch and dinner to your folks, this is a service for Seniors and Disabled. I thought these two ideas would help take some burden off your shoulders. God bless you. :pray

[Sunny]

Thank you, BNL. :hug

My folks would not qualify for MoW, as they are still fairly healthy. Looks like the AFM does 10 hot meals for 30 dollars each. I might look into that. But I'd rather cook for them myself. It would mean more to them, I know. And I'd rather care for them that way as best I can, as well.

You didn't like my title. LOL ;)

[iSong6:3]

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[CharlotteMc]

Thank you, BNL. :hug

My folks would not qualify for MoW, as they are still fairly healthy. Looks like the AFM does 10 hot meals for 30 dollars each. I might look into that. But I'd rather cook for them myself. It would mean more to them, I know. And I'd rather care for them that way as best I can, as well.

You didn't like my title. LOL ;)

Valerie, have you checked into MOW's? There are many programs that fund home delivered meals and many of them the only requirement is that you be at least 60 yo. Also check with your local Alzheimer Association. They have alot of resources and information for caregivers. You can get more info at www.alz.org

I have a parent in the late stages of Alz so I know what you are going through. I will be :praying for you and your family. I have worked for Council on Aging for 8 years so feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions or concerns. Anything I don't know I can find out.

[Sunny]

.

What happened to your post? You had some good suggestions I was going to use.

One thing I noticed, is my mom is getting picky about her food, and doesn't eat much, like you were talking about. That has been getting to be a problem. I am going to go by the house this morning and see how my meal went over.

[Sunny]

Valerie, have you checked into MOW's? There are many programs that fund home delivered meals and many of them the only requirement is that you be at least 60 yo. Also check with your local Alzheimer Association. They have alot of resources and information for caregivers. You can get more info at www.alz.org

I have a parent in the late stages of Alz so I know what you are going through. I will be :praying for you and your family. I have worked for Council on Aging for 8 years so feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions or concerns. Anything I don't know I can find out.

I went to the website for MOW. Although I noticed they seem to be a subsidiary of another senior program, but they only listed one program, for home-bound elderly who can't get out for caring for themselves.

My folks aren't that bad, I just see how stressed my dad is and want to shoulder some of his burden.

I will check out that website. :hat

[CharlotteMc]

I went to the website for MOW. Although I noticed they seem to be a subsidiary of another senior program, but they only listed one program, for home-bound elderly who can't get out for caring for themselves.

My folks aren't that bad, I just see how stressed my dad is and want to shoulder some of his burden.

I will check out that website. :hat

Try googling council on aging. They usually handle the home delivered meal programs in their area (usually a county).

[Hope in Him]

one thing you might consider is cooking things that make more than one meal...freezing it then rotating. Spagatti, meat loaf, baked chicken, pot roast, any kind of soup is good as well....etc. I do this alot. Basically I make my own frozen dinners, just thaw and microwave or bake. I make/buy rolls, freeze them as well, then pop into the oven for a nice bread to go with the meal.

I am the care taker for my dad as well. He has gotten very picky about food...and it doesn't always make sense....one time he'll like something and the next he tells me to throw it out because it is terrible. I freeze it, take it out again in a few weeks and he loves it again. :idunno I just try to roll with it! lol It is kind of like dealing with a small child, you just have to let some stuff go. They change in personality as they grow older and become more ill.

Anyway you looked at it though, it is a gift to care for our parents. Not everyone gets the opportunity. It is hard, stressful and somedays it makes you feel like pulling your hair out. I had to realize with my dad, I cannot do everything for him that he would like me to do. That's ok...what I can't do, I try not to worry about. I have been taking care of him for 7-8 years since my mom died. I drove myself crazy the first few years trying to please everyone...but then I gave up. It is less stressful now and everyone is doing alright.

[CharlotteMc]

one thing you might consider is cooking things that make more than one meal...freezing it then rotating. Spagatti, meat loaf, baked chicken, pot roast, any kind of soup is good as well....etc. I do this alot. Basically I make my own frozen dinners, just thaw and microwave or bake. I make/buy rolls, freeze them as well, then pop into the oven for a nice bread to go with the meal.

I am the care taker for my dad as well. He has gotten very picky about food...and it doesn't always make sense....one time he'll like something and the next he tells me to throw it out because it is terrible. I freeze it, take it out again in a few weeks and he loves it again. :idunno I just try to roll with it! lol It is kind of like dealing with a small child, you just have to let some stuff go. They change in personality as they grow older and become more ill.

Anyway you looked at it though, it is a gift to care for our parents. Not everyone gets the opportunity. It is hard, stressful and somedays it makes you feel like pulling your hair out. I had to realize with my dad, I cannot do everything for him that he would like me to do. That's ok...what I can't do, I try not to worry about. I have been taking care of him for 7-8 years since my mom died. I drove myself crazy the first few years trying to please everyone...but then I gave up. It is less stressful now and everyone is doing alright.

You are so right Hope in Him. They do become like children again. One thing to remember is that as we get older our taste buds do not function like they used to. However, the SWEET taste bud seems to remain with them the longest. So just like a child, offering something sweet can solve alot of problems. :lol2