6 Best Colored Plates for Dementia Patients
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Individuals with Dementia can lose their appetite to eat or drink as the condition worsens. Caregivers often wonder if serving them food on colored plates would do any good. Here’s what research has to say:
Recent research suggests that individuals with Dementia are more likely to finish their meal when served on a Blue, Red, or Yellow plate. Nursing home residents who were served food on red plates consumed 25 percent more food than the ones served on regular white plates. Similarly, positive results were achieved when the cognitively impaired folks were served food on Blue and Yellow plates.
- Source 1: University of Stirling (Blue plate study)
- Source 2: Boston University (Red plate study)
- Source 3: DailyMail (Yellow plate study)
Caregivers must think about ways to improve food presentation, which will stimulate the appetite of the care recipient. It matters how you organize the food items on a plate. Likewise, the shape, color, and surface texture of a plate make a difference as well.
If the color of the plate is similar to that of the food being served, the patient would struggle to see the food items placed on the plate. They will think the plate is empty. Or in some cases, they would make a mess while eating as they are not able to see specific food items on the plate. Such a state of confusion usually leads to a loss of appetite.
This is why the plate should be of a contrasting color to aid the visually impaired person. In this post, I share the best colored plates for Dementia patients.
Here Are The Best Colored Plates For Dementia Patients
1. AmorArc Dinner Plates Set of 6
The 10.5” navy blue plates from AmorArc are made from biodegradable material. The material used in each of the plates is fired for 2340℉. This is to get rid of toxic substances such as lead and cadmium.
This plate has a depth of 1.25”. The sides are curved which makes it easy for an elderly person to spoon out food. They are suitable for serving both small and large-sized food. Namely, pizza, steak, pasta, cut-up veggies, cut-up fruits, and seafood.
Furthermore, these minimalistically designed plates take up very little space in the kitchen. The set of 6 stacks up easily with no gap in between two plates.
2. Bosmarlin Stoneware Dinner Plates
Bosmarlin brings you 10.5” porcelain colored plates for Dementia patients. The plates are light blue with a dark blue border. The color of this plate makes it possible for a visually impaired person to see both light and dark colored food items.
The base of this plate is smaller (6.4”). The outer edge is 10.5” with a depth being 1.3”. This plate is perfect for serving raw food such as salad, cut-up fruits, and veggies.
Bosmarlin offers excellent customer service. You can always call them up if you have any issues with the product. I find these plates to be aesthetically pleasing. They can help raise the appetite of your loved one.
3. Providence Spillproof 9″ Scoop Plate
The scoop plate from Providence is designed for individuals with cognitive impairment. Folks who suffer from visual impairment can also find this red plate useful.
The dark red color plate comes with a curved high side that can help your loved one spoon out food without making a mess. This plate is spill-proof.
You can use a weighted curved spoon to go with this plate— but a regular spoon/splayd will do just fine.
The red color makes it possible for someone with visual impairment to pick out light-colored food items. The red background makes certain foods appear more luscious than they are. It will stimulate the appetite of your loved one.
Lastly, this plate is made from durable polypropylene plastic, hence do not put it in a microwave. I am not sure if it will handle the heat, but feel free to clean it in a dishwasher. Apart from that, the polypropylene plastic material is safe for food.
4. STAYnEAT Divided Suction Plate
The suction plate from STAYnEAT is made especially for people who make a mess while eating. The double-sided red plate has black borders. One side has a side-scoop wall and the other has a spill guard.
Note that both sides have suction. You can keep the plate on a flat surface such as a desk or a marble flat top table, and it will stay in place. Once fixed, the plate won’t move even if the person eating the food pushes it sideways, or tries to lift it.
This is a US-made product made with tritan material. This special material is durable and impact-resistant. And it is completely free of harmful substances such as bisphenol A or bisphenol S.
The STAYnEAT plate is available in three colors. I suggest you pick the red one. Note that the plate is not standard red— it’s a bit tomatoey.
5. Calypso Basics by Reston Lloyd Melamine Dinner Plate
Red melamine plates from Reston Llyod are perfect for outdoor dining. They are lightweight and non-breakable. Melamine plates are known for their high physical strength and flame resistance.
These red plates are perfect for festive occasions. Or you can use them on days when your loved one is refusing to eat— use them as a cheer-up.
You can serve a variety of light-colored food items in them. A person with Dementia will find classic American foods such as biscuits, Apple pie, tater tots, cheeseburgers, and nachos more appetizing in these red melamine plates.
Lastly, you must know that these melamine plates are “top rack only”. You can wash them on the top rack of the dishwasher, but not in the middle of the bottom rack.
6. Bruntmor Porcelain Serving Tray
This is a yellow baking/serving dish from Bruntmor, one of the popular kitchenware companies in America. The product quality and longevity are good. You can microwave certain food items in this dish, and serve them immediately.
According to Bruntmor, these Chinese porcelain colored plates for dementia patients are oven safe, freezer safe, food-safe, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe.
You can serve hot dishes immediately as the handles do not get heated, only the food gets cooked. Although make sure to alert the care recipient before they touch steaming hot food, you don’t want them to get a “tongue burn”.
As you see in the product images, these plates are oval with handles at the two ends. You get a set of 4 plates in a package. They can be stacked together easily in any of your kitchen cabinets.
Buyer’s guide: What to look for when buying plates for a Dementia patient?
Generally speaking, buying plates is not a tough grind. Most people would not seek advice when picking plates for themselves or someone healthy. But you need to tick certain points off the checklist when buying kitchenware for someone with Dementia. Why? Because the shape, color, and type of plate you choose can make a significant difference to their appetites.
Keep in mind the following points:
#1 Check the size of the plate
When buying plates online, one might forget to pick the right size— for their kitchen cabinet. You want to make sure that the plates fit snugly in the cabinet or wherever you intend to place them.
Furthermore, extra-large dishes might not fit in a standard-sized dishwasher. As a rule of thumb, the diameter of the plate should not be larger than 12”.
The lower rack in a standard dishwasher can handle plates with a diameter of 10”-12”. The middle and the upper rack are reserved for mid-sized to smaller plates. You want to make sure that the plate can handle the high heat generated in the lower rack of the dishwasher.
#2 Pick the right color
As I mentioned previously in this article, Dementia patients prefer to eat on colored plates (Blue, Red, or Yellow). As a rule of thumb, they prefer plates that are of a contrasting color to that of the food item placed in them.
I suggest you have a conversation with the care recipient before picking the color. If they have a particular color in mind (that is not Blue, Red, or Yellow), feel free to go for that color.
Here’s a quick tip:
Don’t pick a color that is similar to the food you are planning to serve. For instance, don’t serve pasta, corn, or omelet on a Yellow plate. A dark color plate would be perfect for the said food items.
#3 Pick the right material
Plastic or melamine dishes have properties that make them a preferred choice for Dementia caregivers. They are non-breakable and long-lasting.
Having said that, bone China or porcelain plates come with features of their own. They are versatile, they can be used every day or on festive occasions. You can serve a variety of food items in them.
Porcelain plates discussed in this article are fired twice at a high temperature. They may appear fragile but they can bear the brunt of a drop or a fall.
#4 Make sure the plates are oven safe
Oven-safe plates are made with heat-resistant material such as bone china, porcelain, metal, or melamine. You can place these plates directly in the oven without worrying about them breaking due to thermal shock.
On the other hand, non-oven safe plates can be good if you do not reheat food, and serve freshly made food to the care recipient. Plastic is one of the most popular non-oven safe materials.
Most manufacturers put an oven-safe label on the bottom of a plate to let you know that it is oven safe. You can refer to the product description to check if a particular product is oven safe.
In addition to oven safety, you must also check if the plate you are about to purchase is dishwasher safe. As a rule of thumb, all oven-safe plates are dishwasher safe.
On rare occasions, you will come across a plate that is “top rack only”, which is still dishwasher safe.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Research suggests that Dementia patients prefer to eat on colored plates, namely Blue, Red, or Yellow plates. The color of the plate (and food presentation) can dictate how they perceive the food placed in front of them. The color of the plate can affect their appetite.
Warm food is more appetizing to everyone. However, make sure not to serve searing food as it can burn their tongue. In some cases, a person with Dementia loses his or her ability to judge the temperature of the food placed in front of them.
It is completely fine if they do not respond to the change in color of the plate. If they are still not eating well on a Red, Blue, or Yellow plate, try serving them on a classic white bone china plate. From there, you can try other contrasting colors based on the food you are planning to serve.
No-name brand plates can get the job done, especially if you are buying from Costco or Walmart. You can also check out handcrafted pottery plates available in the local market. But it is always good to go for a food-safe, oven-safe, and dishwasher-safe plate from a known brand.
Ideally, you should place the plate on a dining table or a desk— basically on a flat surface with lots of room. It is always a good idea to serve food on a desk rather than a bed. Although, for care recipients who struggle to sit upright, you can place the plate on an overbed table designed for the elderly.
Yes, you can put these plates in an oven. They are oven-safe.
Apart from Calypso Basics by Reston Lloyd is made from melamine— which is “top rack only” — all plates discussed in this article are dishwasher safe. Nevertheless, before placing the plate in the dishwasher, make sure to look for the “dishwasher safe” label on the bottom of the plate.
Conclusion
Recent research suggests that Dementia patients prefer to eat in colored plates. They eat more when they are served on plates that are of a contrasting color to that of the food. There are several reasons why they may struggle to eat. They may not eat due to low appetite, but in some cases, they fail to see the food placed on the plate. This is why caregivers should make sure that the food they serve is visible to someone with vision impairment.
