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Hi Karen, Every facility has its own procedures for cooking sessions.

Mostly there are two or three residents helping with the cooking and 6 to 8 watching. 'Watching' is a very therapeutic activity for people who are no longer able to do cooking. By 'helping' it usually means one resident breaks the eggs into a container, or peels potatoes, or tops and tails green beans, or stirs the batter.

You usually have a resident 'supervisor' and a 'taster'; as long as they have fun.

The sensory benefits of cooking go beyond the residents' 'help'; the aroma, the utensils, the clatter; it brings back pleasant memories, ideal for reminiscing.

The most important thing is that residents are safe at all times; ovens, frying pans, hot water, should be kept well away from the reach of residents.

Can I ask about gloves? I have done some basic cooking and food prep activities, sometimes with gloves and sometimes without. Putting the flimsy rubber gloves on some residents takes such a long time, very very fiddly and they get very frustrated too.