Getting the nutrients she needs can be tricky for your senior in hotter weather. She might not feel like eating at all and she might be dehydrated more easily than at other times of the year, even in an air-conditioned home.
Hydration Really Matters in Hot Weather
Hydration always matters, but during hot weather your senior can become dehydrated much more quickly. Keep a bottle of water handy and encourage her to sip throughout the day. She doesnt need to gulp a lot of water all at once. Keep the water cold with ice or with bottles that retain cold temperatures if your senior finds drinking cool water to be more enjoyable.
Unsweetened Herbal Teas Are a Good Alternative to Water
Some people just really dont like the taste of water. If that describes your senior, then you might want to try some herbal teas. Herbal teas usually dont have caffeine or other stimulants and they can often be quite tasty on their own without sweeteners. Keep a pitcher in the refrigerator to break up the hydration routine with a little more flavor.
Colder Foods Might Be More Enjoyable
In the summer, hot foods can just be unpleasant. Colder foods and foods with a softer texture can often be a welcoming option. Yogurt, salad, and cottage cheese are some great options that offer plenty of nutritional value. If your senior has trouble chewing or swallowing, smoothies made with fruits and vegetables are an excellent idea.
Smaller, More Frequent Meals Can Help
Big meals can be just as unpleasant as hot foods can be when the weather is hot. Instead of offering three larger meals, offer more frequent meals that allow her to snack a bit. If shes grazing throughout the day on healthy food options, shes getting nutrients without overloading her body with a heavy, hot meal.
Start a Food Log
Food logs can do a few things for your senior and for you. First, they allow you to see what shes eating. With lots of smaller meals throughout the day and with beverages like smoothies, its easy to forget what all your senior has had in a given day. Next, a food log helps you to keep track of what your elderly family member liked and what she didnt enjoy at all. This can help you to make plans the next day and the next week.
Once youve got a plan for helping your senior to continue to get the nutrients she needs in hotter weather, you need to be able to implement it. Senior care providers can help you and your senior to get everything prepared so that shes able to eat, even when its miserable out.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Eagan, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
