The Alzheimer Society of Ireland marked World Alzheimer’s Day 2018 with the launch of a new collectible cookbook ‘A Taste to Remember’ – a book that features recipes from people with dementia, family members, volunteers and our staff. The book also features recipes from leading Irish chefs including Darina Allen, Clodagh McKenna, Catherine Fulvio and Simon Delaney.
This cookbook offers people a platform to allow awareness-building and perception-changing of dementia, given that a lack of understanding and stigma is still rife. Having people speak about their own lives and experiences creates a better understanding of the unique experiences of people living with dementia.
People from all around Ireland were invited to share a precious recipe that reminded them of their childhood or a special time and place and a revealing story behind the recipe.
Chair of The ASI Cavan Branch Carole Beattie, who contributed a recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken to the book, said: “My husband Jack was a lovely, gentle soul and we had many humorous moments along his Alzheimer’s journey. Not least was when he started to forget my name and started thinking that I was his mother. She was a lovely Scottish lady called Dora and she was a great baker. Unfortunately my talents did not come close. His favourites were her sweet and sour chicken, gingerbread and his very special favourite Lemon Pudding. This sweet and sour chicken recipe was passed down to Dora from her own mother who used it a great deal during the second world war when meat was rationed.
“I think she adapted it as provisions became scarce but when the whole family moved to Ireland in the fifties, the chicken recipe came too and it was made many times for my husband when he was growing up. They even named it Dora’s tasty chicken bake! I tried as best as I could to replicate her masterpieces, but no matter how hard I tried, I never quite matched up and he told me so! Although he forgot who I was, he never forgot the tastes of his childhood.”
World Alzheimer’s Month in September is an opportunity to build understanding about a health issue that will affect more and more people as the years pass, while encouraging crucial efforts to support those already affected by dementia around the world.
The campaign creates a public awareness about how countries can dramatically increase care and support for, and awareness and diagnosis, research and treatment of dementia.
It is estimated that there are 55,000 people with dementia in Ireland and for every one person with dementia three others are directly affected and the number of people with dementia is expected to more than double over the next 20 years to 113,000 in 2036.
There are approximately 4,000 new cases of dementia annually in Ireland.
The book is in bookshops now and can also be ordered online today via www.tastetoremember.ie
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland CEO, Pat McLoughlin said: “We are very excited to launch this unique and beautiful cookbook which is packed with personal, mouth-watering recipes and memorable stories from clients, families, staff and volunteers of The Alzheimer Society. It is packed with fantastic and interesting recipes and they offer a secret window into people’s experience, values and personality. In fact, recipes, handed down from generation to generation, are little social histories. Memory triggers. Every recipe has a hidden love story. Food gives us physical and social sustenance. And stories are the nutrition of life and conversation. People will be physically nourished and emotionally enriched.”
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) is the national leader in advocating for and providing dementia-specific supports and services and each year the organisation provides more than one million hours of community-based dementia-specific care throughout Ireland. A national non-profit organisation, the ASI is person centred, rights-based and grassroots led with the voice of the person with dementia and their carer at its core. The ASI also operates the Alzheimer National Helpline offering information and support to anyone affected by dementia at 1800 341 341 and provides a number of others supports and services to people with dementia and their carers across Ireland including 51 Day Care Centres and one Respite Care Centre. The ASI also provides Home Care, Family Carer Training, Dementia Advisers, Alzheimer Cafes and Social Clubs.
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