Many people with dementia can help fix some of their own meals or participate in a limited way with your help. They may no longer be able to cook a full meal or even one dish, but most individuals can do something with the right prompting. Caregivers have shared five tips with us that have made meal prep a lot easier for the person they care for. Don't miss our section on stove safety and small appliances if the person is still cooking.

First, make items easy to find.

It's harder for any of us to find items in a cluttered environment, especially if the items are not well marked. So help the person to organize by grouping similar items together – for example, put breakfast foods together. Leave the most used items on the countertop, in see-through containers, labeled in large letters to help alert the person as to their contents. If the person will be alone, set out all ingredients before a meal and leave instructions.

A person with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia may forget to look inside the cupboards or drawers, so put up signs and pictures to help him/her locate objects behind closed doors or drawers. If this doesn't work, remove a cupboard door.

Make sure there is good lighting on the countertops – it helps a person see better and it help directs their attention to the area.