Baking can be a way to connect with them and a way to combat loneliness in seniors. It also gives them another way to feel valuable and needed as they age. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the benefits of baking!
Recreational Baking Keeps their Minds Sharp
Baking can be a great way to keep your mind sharp, active, and healthy.
It helps you stay mentally engaged, encourages creativity, and has been shown to help reduce stress. It keeps your hands busy while sparking creative thought processes in your brain—and doing so is suitable for mental and physical health!
You can Request Recipes From The Past to Help Them Reminisce
If you’re looking for a way to connect with your parents, consider asking them about their childhoods. You can ask them about the recipes they grew up eating or even their respective families. The more you ask, the more information you’ll have about each generation of your family’s history.
Bake Treats that are Easier to Eat and Digest
If you’re baking with your parents, you can be sure that the treats you make consist of nutritious food seniors should consume. That’s because many of the ingredients in baked goods, especially whole grains and fruits and vegetables, are naturally high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And while there isn’t any one food that will reverse the effects of aging on the body (yet), eating a diet rich in these nutrients is associated with reduced risks for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
So make sure you’ve got plenty of whole grains:
- Whole wheat flour for cookies or muffins
- Oats for granola bars or oatmeal cookies
- Quinoa flakes or bulgur wheat for breakfast porridge or salad toppings
- Brown rice flour for pie crusts
You’ll also want to include plenty of fruits and vegetables—applesauce instead of oil when making cakes; puréed pumpkin as an ingredient in pies or blondies; raisins as part of a healthy granola bar recipe. And don’t forget lean proteins like low-fat cottage cheese or non-dairy milk like almond milk!
Baking Together Warms You Up on Cold Winter Days
Baking is the perfect way to spend time together. It’s a great activity because it’s easy to do, and you don’t have to worry about making messes or breaking things, which can be a concern if you’re an older person with limited mobility or failing eyesight.
Baking also helps keep your loved ones warm during cold winter days and gives them something to do on those same chilly evenings. Baking will give both of you something active to do while keeping busy muscles moving and blood circulating. It also keeps their mind active as they imagine what delicious concoctions they might create next!
Enjoy The Benefits Of Baking
Baking is a fun event to do with your loved ones to let your creativity flow. In our retirement community, you won’t have to worry about space to bake as all our senior living floor plans have kitchens. For more information on our retirement community, contact us today!
