Is your elderly family member eating nutritious meals or is she snacking on junk food far more often? It’s important to help her to get a handle on her nutritional balance so she can maintain her health for as long as possible.
Look at Why Some of Her Tastes Have Changed
If your elderly family member’s favorite foods have changed, there are reasons. There might be some very practical reasons, like her teeth are giving her issues or she’s having trouble swallowing. Or there could be some other reasons, like food doesn’t smell appealing any longer or she’s switched to a lower salt diet that she doesn’t enjoy as much.
Nutritional Density Is Vital
When your senior’s eating habits have changed, that doesn’t mean that she no longer needs the nutrients she would have gotten from her food. You’re going to need to make sure that the food that she does eat meets her needs in a variety of ways, but also nutritionally. Including lots of fruits and vegetables is important, as well as including proteins that allow her to maintain her muscle mass. Talk to your senior’s doctor about whether any other dietary considerations are important for your senior.
Snacks May Be More Important than Meals
Believe it or not, what your senior snacks on might be more important than meals are. If she’s having difficulty eating full meals, then healthy, nutritionally dense snacks are the way to go. Look for ways to pique your senior’s appetite, even if that means making smoothies or milkshakes that include some ingredients she might not have looked for, like spinach or carrots. Black bean brownies are a great way to get fiber and protein while also having a bit of a sweet treat. There are plenty of ways to help her to have what she wants as well as what she needs.
Take Over Some of the Heavy Tasks
Sometimes it’s the background tasks that make getting nutrition a little more difficult. For instance, if getting around is difficult for your senior, then going to the grocery store isn’t necessarily a lot of fun for her. You may be able to take over things like grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning up. If you’re not able to keep up with those tasks for her, hiring home care providers might be the next best thing. They can make sure your senior is enjoying the foods that she’s eating.
It can be tough to make sure that your senior is eating what she should and also that she’s enjoying her meals. It’s possible, though, especially if you both have a little bit of extra help.
If you are considering homecare in Newberry, FL, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts Home Care. Call today: 352-225-3727.
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