Making Strawberry Sauce: Easy Steps for People with Alzheimer's
- Get a container of strawberries from the grocery store or strawberry patch. If the person with dementia is mobile, he/she may be able to go with to pick. It is okay if they pick some that are not ideal - just weed them out as you go. Sharing stories about picking, growing, or baking with strawberries can be shared when looking at the colorful collected berries.
- Rinse the strawberries under water in a sieve.
- Pick the stems off the berries. I used the curved end of a potato peeler to do the trick. Or one could use a huller, meant for this job. Last, a straw can be inserted from the bottom of the strawberry up, to push the stem out (and no sharp tools needed).
- Slice the strawberry into pieces. A child safety knife can be used or butter knife (this step is optional, but is a nice way to make the activity last longer or to provide more 'jobs', if doing this in a group).
- Mash the strawberries with a potato masher in a bowl. This is a good activity for patients at lower levels of dementia.
6. Add a bit of sugar or sugar substitute, as desired, and stir. This is another step good for those who are lower functioning.
7. Spoon the strawberry sauce over bowls of ice cream, angel food cake, vanilla wafers, yogurt, etc. Enjoy!
Click here to download the MindStart Activity Sheet for Making Strawberry Sauce, including easy step by step directions and photos to make the steps more understandable for the person with dementia, and allow more independence.
Looking for some ready-made activities for people with Alzheimer's? Check out our 24 piece Garden puzzle, 12 piece Vegetable puzzle, and other products designed specifically for people with dementia.
