Everyone knows that breakfast is absolutely vital, right? It’s been called the most important meal of the day for decades. And if your elderly family member has been skipping breakfast, here are some solid reasons for her to rethink that practice and start enjoying her first meal of the day a little bit earlier.

Breakfast Is Another Opportunity for Nutrients

The long and short of it is that your elderly family member needs all the nutrition that she can get. That means that not only should she be eating healthy snacks throughout the day, but she needs to start the day out with breakfast. Lots of breakfast food options are also high in fiber, which is vital for overall health. Oatmeal with berries, for instance, is really high in fiber and starts your senior out with plenty of fuel.

Her Body Needs Fuel After Sleeping

Overnight, your elderly family member has been sleeping, not eating. So, when she wakes up, her body needs fuel to keep it going. The energy that your senior gets from eating breakfast can keep her active during the morning hours instead of sluggish, and that can be an important factor in keeping her healthier overall. In-home care providers can help your senior with breakfast if she finds that it’s just too much effort first thing in the morning.

Her Brain Also Needs Fuel

But it isn’t just your senior’s body that needs fuel after sleeping. Her brain needs fuel to keep it moving, too. Healthy fats, natural sugars, protein, and fiber are all great nutrients for your senior’s brain. It’s easy to get those from breakfast, especially if home care providers are making sure that there’s a balanced meal ready for your elderly family member at the top of every day.

Skipping Breakfast Can Leave Her with Low Blood Sugar

Some people just never eat breakfast, and that’s been a habit that they have had their entire lives. That might have been true for your senior for a long time, but if she’s developed any health issues over the years, she might have to change that up. People with diabetes often find that first thing in the morning their blood sugar is very low. Skipping breakfast can allow those numbers to fall even lower, which can be a big problem. In-home care providers can remind your senior why it’s important to eat and help with things like remembering to test blood sugar levels, too.

She May Need Food to Take Medications

Something else to consider is that your elderly family member may be taking medications now that have to be taken with food. Taking those medications on an empty stomach can have disastrous impacts on her and should be avoided. That means even a light breakfast is something she needs to be ready to enjoy.

It can help to find breakfast foods that your elderly family member enjoys to make the whole idea a lot better. Something else to remember is that if she really dislikes breakfast foods, she can eat other types of food for breakfast. The main goal is that she’s getting plenty of solid nutrition.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/many-benefits-breakfast

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Woodbury, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.