Healthy Food Choices for Your Senior Parents 

Healthy aging is more complex than anybody believes. Making wise food choices for seniors is one of the many variables contributing to this. Many seniors don’t understand the importance of diet or think it doesn’t matter what they eat. Some seniors may not focus on what they eat because they can no longer cook for themselves even when they choose to age in place. A caregiver may be a good choice to keep them on track with good nutritional choices.

 

 Caregiver in Glenview IL: Senior Nutrition


Caregiver in Glenview IL: Senior Nutrition

 

If you notice your senior is eating less, you first need to identify why they consume less. Maybe they can’t grocery shop, or maybe they cannot cook. Either way, if you are not available, this can be a huge issue for their overall health. Companion care at home providers is the best at helping ensure that a senior gets to and from a grocery store but that they also can still receive home-cooked meals daily. Elderly parents may want to age in place, and this can be a risky choice without companion care at home around.

Weight is an important factor to consider when it comes to good aging. Excess weight is often associated with an increased risk of various ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. However, metabolism becomes an issue when individuals reach their 50s and 60s. Because of the loss of muscle mass, it tends to slow down with age. This is why the preceding diet might cause someone to gain weight at the age of 60.

 

Why Encouraging a Healthy Diet Is Crucial

As your elderly parents become older, their metabolism doesn’t just decrease drastically, but the sense of smell also decreases. As your parent’s age, their taste buds diminish, and their smell deteriorates, which may cause food to be less appetizing. When this occurs, individuals prefer to overeat salty and sweet foods. Unfortunately, they are not wise meal choices for seniors since they may worsen various health concerns. Focusing on a healthy diet as a professional or a family caregiver may help seniors live longer and healthier.

Tricks To Getting Seniors To Eat Better

Discipline is the ultimate secret to aging well by making wise eating choices. On the contrary, the elderly may lack the time or mobility to make nutritious diets for themselves. As a result, as their caregiver, you must consider a healthy diet. Here are some ways to start getting your elderly parents to eat better.

  • To make dining more fascinating, choose meals with a variety of textures and colors.
  • Consider whole-wheat couscous, freekeh, buckwheat, quinoa, bulgur, and barley as alternatives.
  • Create a fun meal plan for your parents. Use a meal tracking website to help create and maintain goals.
  • When serving meals to the elderly, keep portion proportions in mind.

 

Smart Food Choices for Seniors

Seniors should avoid high-calorie meals with little or no nutritional value. Because of this, they are referred to as “empty calories.” Some examples include artificially sweetened and flavored beverages, potato chips, candy, and other foods. Here are some foods seniors should eat.

  • Chicken breast
  • Green Apples
  • Whole Wheat Bread
  • Ground Patty

Keeping your senior as healthy as possible through good nutrition should be a priority for you and their caregiver.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Glenview, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.

LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services