🎂 The Most Requested Comfort Food? Birthday Cake.
Though patients ask for a wide range of foods, birthday cake is the most common request.
“They’re small things,” Richards said, “but especially for people who’ve been isolated or are feeling lonely, they mean a lot.”
🧠 The Emotional Power of Food
Working in palliative care, Richards has learned that food is more than sustenance—it’s memory, comfort, and connection.
“Food is a powerfully emotive medium – it can summon childhood memories and create new lasting ones. That’s what we do here.”
He also notes that many patients, especially those with cancer, develop a sweet tooth due to treatment side effects and often become more sensitive to salt. Additionally, many lose the ability to swallow, requiring adaptations to texture and flavor in every dish.
