Finally, A Sunday Sit Down Dinner with Mom
Living in a small, rural town affords me the simple luxury of driving country roads to-and- from work. At the end of the day I enjoy the time to wind down and reflect before arriving to be with my family. Recently, during one of these drives, I was planning a visit with my 96-year-old mother, who’s been under strict quarantine at her retirement residence since March. We’d used FaceTime and outdoor ‘at a distance’ masked visits but nothing is normal about these options. So, when restrictions were relaxed, I immediately arranged to bring her over for a homecooked meal.
The paperwork signed off, masks donned for the car-ride and any other protocol was worth the opportunity for her to spend the afternoon in familiar, friendly surroundings. It was a great afternoon with loads of laughter and a few drinks to celebrate. We decided to make one of her favourite meals: roast chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli and some sausage, all topped with gravy to keep everything warm and moist.
Visual Appeal
As my mother’s eyesight had grown worse in the past five months, I decided to try a new blue plastic plate that we have developed at Burlodge. We’d worked with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) who suggested that blue plates would provide excellent contrast for those with visual impairments. I wanted to make sure my Mother had the best meal possible that evening, and we know from studies that plate presentation is just as important as food preparation.
With Mom sitting at one end and the rest of us socially distanced at the other, we served her meal on an 8-inch blue plate. It had higher ridges at the rim to help her gather food up with greater ease.
Mother Knows Best
She ate well and, afterwards, we chatted about her dinner. I wanted her candid opinion of the plate. She offered a few comments, including:
- “I could see the mashed potatoes. On a white plate I find it very hard to know where it is, how much is there, and when I have eaten all of it.”
- “The size of the plate is perfect because it did not look like a lot of food to me.
- The bigger plates they use back at my facility make them add more food and I do not like that because I hate to waste food.”
- “The higher rim made it very easy to get those last bits of broccoli up and onto my fork.”
- “I prefer the plastic plate because I don’t want to ever drop a heavy china plate on my toes, or have it break.”
Naturally, quality of food is critical. Atmosphere is also vital. To those who have difficulty with their eyesight, however, we should always remember the importance of the canvas. A blue color plate helped my Mom eat her meal confidently and with dignity. It’s such a simple solution that pays great dividends.
As I commonly remind people, it is only nutrition if it is eaten. I can attest to it firsthand and fondly with this experience. And yes, when I took her back to the residence with some leftovers packaged up, I was sure to include a blue plate.
