Raw ideas for disabled mother

[Secret Heart]

My mother, who suffered from a large stroke a year ago February, is interested in exploring eating more raw foods....needless to say, I'm thrilled!
Anyway, she has a lot of weakness on her left side...she really cannot use her left hand at all for shopping/peeling etc.
I live in a separate apartment in their house (for now) and I can do some chopping for her but won't be around all the time to do full dishes. She worried that she'll need to be blending and dehydrating all the time. I said, not necessarily!
If any of you can suggest anything that she might be able to make, however simple, I'd be appreciative.
The beautiful thing about it is that it is the simplest diet as it anyway!

Thanks for any suggestions!

Heather

[misslinda]

My mother, who suffered from a large stroke a year ago February, is interested in exploring eating more raw foods....needless to say, I'm thrilled!
Anyway, she has a lot of weakness on her left side...she really cannot use her left hand at all for shopping/peeling etc.
I live in a separate apartment in their house (for now) and I can do some chopping for her but won't be around all the time to do full dishes. She worried that she'll need to be blending and dehydrating all the time. I said, not necessarily!
If any of you can suggest anything that she might be able to make, however simple, I'd be appreciative.
The beautiful thing about it is that it is the simplest diet as it anyway!

Thanks for any suggestions!

Heather

Heather :)

I'm so happy that you're mother has the will to explore raw and experience the healing with us. Most admiration to you for stickng by her!



what all appliances do you have?

what are favorite kinds of flavors,txtures etc?

[eachpeachpearplum]

My first thought is perhaps you could make her some items that last all week in the fridge like pates, Alissa marinara sauce, a big bunch of crackers. I also like marinated vegges to put in collard wraps like the marinated zucchini from Alissas lasagna. These are items she could use veggies for dipping in. So for you this would be a one time visit to the kitchen which you may possibly have time for. :o

If I think of things she can do on her own I will add it here.

All the best! :)

PS; I had seen once a TV a gadget that helps to hold food so a physically inpared person can cut it so it does not roll around. I would check sites that cater to the physically handicaped for useful kitchen tools that may help your mum on her journey. :rolleyes:

[michigan roman]

fruits and nuts like pecans , almonds or walnuts together for meals . grind up in blender to bb sized bits nuts and dry fruits for a loose granola you eat out of bowl with spoon , sprinkle cinnamon on and eat fruit with , and also sprinkle on berries . in this granola ide include alot of sunseeds for their high vita e content in order to improve her circulation , almonds also same thing . and if youve never heard of it the herb hawthorn berries have been renowned for centuries for their ability to strengthen heart .

[Secret Heart]

Thanks for your suggestions. She has no appliances...and really she only has one functional hand. I should find out about that cutting board thingy. I've heard of that..it has spikes on it so she can cut tomatoes etc with her good hand...

Heather

[oceanluv]

Is your mom able to chew foods well? I would want to be sure she wouldn't choke or "pocket"the food in her cheek on the affected side. I'm thinking blended salads or green smoothies would be ok. Do you make her meals every day for her?
There are lots of sites that have tools for making life easier for folks that need help in their daily activities. here is one www.activeforever.com :)

[misslinda]

I hope this doesn't come across sounding offensice at all but someone mentioned one of those hand held mixers that you can use in a cup to make smoothies...... I was thinking that the kind that comes with those large fountain cups if that's what they are called, she could plug the device into the wall and hold the cup between her legs if she is sitting down and use her good hand to blend or mix with the hand held.



thinking..... :)

[PATH301]

Secret Heart,

My mother, who suffered from a large stroke a year ago February, is interested in exploring eating more raw foods....needless to say, I'm thrilled!
Anyway, she has a lot of weakness on her left side...she really cannot use her left hand at all for shopping/peeling etc.
I live in a separate apartment in their house (for now) and I can do some chopping for her but won't be around all the time to do full dishes. She worried that she'll need to be blending and dehydrating all the time. I said, not necessarily!
If any of you can suggest anything that she might be able to make, however simple, I'd be appreciative.
The beautiful thing about it is that it is the simplest diet as it anyway!

Thanks for any suggestions!

Heather

Half your battle is over - she wants to do it!!
Was she right handed or left handed?
I've seen these peelers on the web that are manual and automatic too they peel one apple at a time or potato etc..
There's also a blender/food processor called the "bullet" can be used with one hand.
Dishes - does she have a dishwasher?
Are you mechanicaly inclined to where you could build a frame for a large cutting board or glue a rubber base to a cutting board. Then put a plastic or wood spike in the middle of the cutting board.You may have to drill the center out for this - if it's wood use wood glue to glue the spike to the board. Then she could place the item she's trying to cut or peel onto the spike. The rubber would keep the board from moving all over the place and give her some leverage. then she could peel it or cut it up to the spike. Then put into a fp or a little "bullet".
Get some big bowls with pour spouts on the end and handle on the other. That way she can pour out from the fp to the bowl. Immediatly hot water wash out the fp and parts - this makes the cleaning part easy. Then she can easily pour from the bowl to a cup or a container and put into fridge for later. Thandle on the bowl will be easy for her hand to grip and maintain control.
Also with blender to wash out as soon as done using it less hassle cleaning it.
Some of the FP you have to lock it into place in order to get it to work, with one hand this will be tough. Measure the base of the unit and then and frame that will allow her to lock the unit down and release it. use a hinge with atwist lock. device. Could be as simple as a 2x4 base around the unit with rubber base glued on the buttom of the 2x4's. If you can't find rubber try that foamy stuff you put into kitchen shelf to keep items from slipping.
Hope this helps :)

[rawpriestess]

Since she doesn't have any appliances and can use only one hand,
you may wish to think of fresh fruits and veggies that she might like that don't need to be peeled or anything.

peach
pear
apple
plum
apricot
date
raisins
figs
also nuts that have been shelled

you may wish to make her some almond milk each night so she has it the next day, you can make it sweet like a milkshake or just plain, she can drink it as is, or she can add some fresh berries and some honey to it, she wouldn't have to blend it, she could eat with a spoon, or even drink it, and then eat the berries at the bottom.

she could just stir it.

you might try making her some granola that she could put in a bowl and then shee could add some fresh berries and some almond milk, she could eat this with a spoon. in a small bowl.

you might want to get her some heavier pyrex type bowls, the kind that people usually cook in.

these are easy to carry becaue they have a protrusion on the sides like handles, are easy to carry in one hand, lie flat on the table, so they don't spill easily, they also are a nice size, and shallow, yet big enough to hold thins. I use these for my animals to eat out of, and they havent' spilled any yet, also, when I had tendonitis, and I could only use one hand, I used these, they are so nice to carry, you just set them on the table and they stay put, they are a little heavy though.

also very easy to wash.

I like a large mug as a cup instead of a tall glass, seems easier to handle instead of a tall glass that is easy to knock over, and hard to fill. the wider the to the easier to fill and drink out of, also to use a spoon in.

you might try getting some of those rubberized drawer thingies, and place them on the counters, they can be washed in the dishwasher no heat, or the clothes washer and they make everything stick and not slip, you could use those to keep the cutting boards in place on the counters, also to hold a cup or bowl down, when trying to fill it or eat out of it.

You could even make entire meals that she could place in a dehydrator, if you decide to purchase one.

I would make sure to have plenty of fresh fruit juice on hand for her, and that would be my number one thing to make sure she has to drink all day.

hope some of these ideas help

and blessings to you for taking such good care of your mom.

[Secret Heart]

Thank-you all for your help! We live very independent lives from one another even though I am technically at home....my father takes care of my mum for the most part and she's quite independent. I do some small amount of food prep and their laundry.
I like RawPriestesses' ideas of simple cut up veg and fruit...I am super busy and thus I don't know if making things up each night will work. I shall endeavor to do my best though. Thanks so very much!!
I have included a picture of us for you to see. She's very courageous!

Heather

[greeninlosangeles]

Good luck for you both in the journey to health!