Preparing a meal can be difficult for older men. They are part of a generation who worked outside of the home, and used to their wives cooking. Now, these same men in Montreal are taking cooking classes so they can care for their wives who have Alzheimer’s disease.
The Canadian organization, Alzheimer’s Groupe, Inc. (AGI), organizes these classes. From their Mission Statement:
“AGI is not-for-profit organization that provides a comprehensive range of services to those directly and indirectly affected by Alzheimer’s and increases awareness and understanding of the disease. AGI is dedicated to enhancing care and support for all those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (AD/rd).”
“We are here to ensure that the quality of life throughout a family’s journey with Alzheimer’s is well supported in a positive and caring way.”
One attendee in the class, Don Badke, used to split the kitchen work with his wife. Now, his wife has dementia and he is taking care of her. He said that she eats everything he cooks and says she likes it.
Badke is a part of the group of men taking this eight-week course. They meet once a week in their local Provigo grocery store. The course teaches them to shop, plan, and cook balanced meals.
Not only are they learning great cooking skills, they are also supporting each other in caring for their wives. Most of them knew how to cook basic things or grill meat, but they are expanding their culinary skills.
The AGI offers many other services as well. They have individual and family counseling, support groups, and other courses. They have another useful service for caregivers that allows them to come in and engage with the patient so the caregiver can have a much-needed break.
Caregiver burnout is a serious issue; we all need a break every so often.
This is a great group doing very good things. It’s nice to see these husbands taking care of their wives.
Here is a video discussing these classes in detail:
https://youtu.be/gVHTOLghLBo
Featured Image Via YouTube Video.
