Maintaining a balanced diet and getting the right nutrients helps seniors to stay as healthy as possible, but it’s not that easy to do. Changes in dietary preferences and in what seniors require in order to eat a healthy diet are just two of the problems seniors face. Help from 24-hour home care providers makes it even easier for family caregivers to ensure that seniors are having fun with meals, getting the nutrition they need, and getting help with other tasks, too.
Involve Seniors in Meal Planning
When seniors have choices and feel empowered because they’re able to make choices, that gives them a sense of control over what is happening. Control is something that seniors may have very little of, especially as their health worsens. Keeping seniors involved in planning meals also helps everyone to keep up with changing preferences as they happen.
Incorporate Familiar Favorite Foods Often
Comfort foods earn that name for a reason. They’re comforting and familiar. There may be a need for small modifications to accommodate dietary needs, but including these foods more often can help seniors to be more open to trying the nutrient-rich meals as they show up in the meal rotation, too.
Offer Smaller, More Frequent Meals
Instead of focusing on three solid meals per day, it can help quite a bit to offer smaller meals more often throughout each day. This is a lot easier to do with help from elder care providers, because they’re able to not only make the meals and snacks available but also keep track of how seniors are eating. Eating more often can help seniors to maintain better energy levels, which can make it easier to do the things they want to do.
Focus on Consistency and Texture
If older adults are experiencing trouble with dental issues or difficulty swallowing, eating is not always the easiest task. It’s vital to keep those challenges in mind when planning meals and snacks. Offering a variety of textures and consistencies can help determine what works best.
Offer Nutrient-dense Foods
Nutrient-dense foods are foods that offer a lot of minerals, vitamins, and important macronutrients. These foods tend to be lower in calories as well, making them excellent choices. Healthy fats, whole grains, leaner proteins, fish, and fruits and vegetables are all nutritionally dense foods.
Make Meals Social
For most seniors, eating is a lonelier activity than it has ever been. Finding ways to turn meals into social experiences can do a lot to help aging adults get nutrients while also spending quality time with other people. 24-hour home care providers are excellent companions during meals, which also helps them to keep an eye on how well seniors are eating.
Keep Hydration in Mind
Proper hydration is something that no senior can afford to ignore. Water helps the entire body to flush waste and to function properly. Offering water periodically throughout the day can help seniors to get the hydration they need without having to chug water at meals.
It’s entirely possible for seniors to enjoy nutritious meals, but it might mean finding ways to make that task easier and more fun. 24-hour home care providers also help to take some of the labor out of the process.
If you are considering 24-hour home care in The Heights, TX for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
At Your Side Home Care, provides exceptional home care for seniors and families in Houston, West Houston, Katy, Memorial, The Heights, Spring Valley, Garden Oaks, Hunters Creek, River Oaks, Hilshire Village, Galleria, Cinco Ranch, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenburg, Piney Point, Bay City and surrounding areas.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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