Angela

At the facility where I work, we use a slow cooker. At around 9.30 each Monday morning, the residents help to peel the veges then we put them in the slow cooker with some stock, etc. Before tea, the staff blend it with the stick blender and adjust any seasonings and all the residents in the unit have it as part of their tea. This is very good for building self esteem and involvement in a meaningful activity.

We do this with residents in wheelchairs as well.Ask them for the pleasure of this dance then wheel them to the dance floor and hold their hands, swaying to the music or gently move the wheelchair. This is also great for reminiscing as for lot of our residents this was their social life in their younger days and many met their husbands at dances.

In our dementia unit, the residents make soup every Monday morning. They peel the veges under the supervision of the DT. We cook the soup in the slow cooker and it is served as part of the evening meal in the unit. After we have finished preparing the veges,the residents help wash and wipe up(later we send it to be washed in the dishwasher).They love it and feel worthwhile and proud of their efforts.