With a Little Creativity, Dinner Can Be a Fun Experience

The unused patio looked a little pathetic. A long, rectangular space, no one enjoyed it because the planters were full of weeds, needed to be repositioned and you could only sit if you had a wheelchair or carried a kitchen chair out. The door was narrow and the lip at the bottom made it a sweaty challenge to bring even one wheelchair out. Some simply wouldn’t fit. Calling it a patio seemed an exaggeration.

I asked if something could be done so it could be used. To my huge surprise, the response was, “Write a proposal.” I asked for the moon–a new door, a ramp, repositioned planters, patio furniture and a barbecue. Oh, and a budget to buy flowers. 

I got it all.

That ugly, wasted space became the hub of the wheel from Victoria Day until well into the fall. Barbecue lunches, ice cream socials, afternoon teas and even watermelon seed spitting contests were hosted there. Neighbours walking by would chat, kids on their way home from school would wave. That patio brought our elders into the community in a new way.

While hosting many events in the space, I learned a lot about elders and their meals. 

• Elders generally eat little.
• They tend to gravitate toward the same choices.
• They hate to waste anything, especially food.
• The senses are important. Taste, of course, but the smell of the barbecue, the sound of the birds, the feel of soft but delicious foods, all added to the pleasure.
• Little special touches meant a lot. I often splurged on fancy napkins, and waffle bowls were a big hit with ice cream.
• The weather had to be perfect–not too hot or too cold or too windy or too sunny. But if all the stars aligned (a metaphor, there were no stars) they loved eating outside and ate far more than normal.
• Sometimes they surprise you–and themselves!

Small is best

Delicious homemade hamburgers were often on the regular menu, but they were large. Even cut in half, they overwhelmed some people. But tiny hamburgers served in slider buns were a huge hit. When I barbecued chicken, I often cooked drumsticks. They provided just enough meat for a serving and cooked in a few minutes.

Be prepared to be surprised

The day I decided to try corn on the cob, there were a lot of naysayers among the staff. I wasn’t sure myself if anyone would eat it, but it seemed worth a trial. I cut the cobs in thirds and had “cob holders” on the ends. They were so popular, I ran out!  Most elders hadn’t had their corn that way for years, and they were delighted.

Ice cream had always been served in bowls, and that made sense. But one day I bought a package of cones, thinking it would last me the whole summer. Residents were given the choice, and the next week I had to return to the store to buy more cones. 

I tried skewers, and after a few failures (beef turned out too tough) I discovered a combination of fruit, such as peaches and pears combined with soft vegetables like peppers and mushrooms, paired with pieces of chicken breast, made a winning combination.

Not every food experiment or venue will work. One Canada Day, wind billowed in and blew all the paper plates and cutlery into the garden immediately after I’d set the tables. Some foods I tried weren’t a big hit. But at the end of the day, more things worked than didn’t and for a small effort, the elders quality of life was enhanced.

They ate well and had fun. Who can ask for more than that?

Don’t be overwhelmed, any more than your elder would be with a large plate of food. Get your plan together, and when a perfect day arrives, take a picnic out on the deck or patio, or even a local park. One event that was a huge success was a meal at a local splash pad. The elders loved watching the children and one even took off her shoes and took her walker into the water!

Be creative and have fun.

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