Have you noticed your older family member isn’t eating well? Perhaps they skip meals or don’t eat balanced meals. They might eat fast food or grab a burger or hot dog from the convenience store on the corner. Or, they may dread meals because eating alone is a lonely prospect. If that’s the case, home care may be the answer to the older adult’s mealtime problems. Below are some ways that a home care provider can improve mealtimes for your aging relative.
Cooking Balanced Meals
As cooking becomes more difficult, some seniors cook meals that include just one item. They might cook a hamburger but not make any vegetables or fruit to go with it. Or, they might just pour a bowl of cereal. While a hamburger is healthy and, depending on the kind, cereal can be a healthy choice, eating these kinds of things without fruits and vegetables to balance the nutrients they are receiving could lead to nutritional deficiencies. Home care providers can cook for your aging relative, ensuring that meals contain all the nutrients they need.
Cooking with the Senior
Some seniors enjoy cooking and miss being able to do it. If that’s the case, a home care provider can cook with them. The home care provider can allow them to do all of the steps they can, only assisting with the tasks the senior has trouble with or asks them to do. This can make the mealtime more enjoyable for the older adult because it provides a sense of normalcy, lets them do something they enjoy, and gives them more control over what they eat.
Trips to the Grocery Store
Older adults who cannot drive often have a hard time getting to the grocery store to purchase food. This limits their food choices. Home care providers can drive them to the grocery store and help them to fill their cart. They can also carry grocery bags in and help to put the groceries away.
Planning Meals
Older adults may have difficulty planning their own meals, especially if a spouse used to take care of making the meals. In addition, certain health conditions may require following certain guidelines for meals, which can be confusing to some seniors. Home care providers can plan meals, following the doctor’s or dietitian’s advice and also making sure the foods planned are ones the older adult likes. For example, if your aging relative has high blood pressure, the home care provider can plan meals that are low in salt, avoiding store-bought sauces and dressings that tend to be high in sodium.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HOME CARE IN ZEBULON, NC, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS TODAY. CALL (919) 761-5346.