Lots of caregivers arent sure exactly what their seniors are eating on a daily basis. Its not that you dont want to know, but that can be one of those details that sometimes slips through the cracks. You might need to get a little more involved.
Keep Track of Meals and Details
Its entirely possible that your senior is eating plenty of healthy foods that are just right for her unique nutritional needs at this stage of her life. But its equally possible that shes not eating as much or as healthfully as you would like. The first step in figuring all of that out is to start tracking what shes eating, when shes eating, and any other details that seem pertinent. From there you can talk about the data youve collected and take it to her doctor.
Look for Little Adjustments to Make
Your seniors doctor may have some definitive recommendations based on your elderly family members food log. If shes eating too few calories or shes getting very little protein, that can be a big problem for her. But undoing a lot of bad eating habits overnight is not easy for anyone, much less your senior family member. Its much better to look for some of the most important smaller details that you can adjust now. You will get to the big stuff quicker than you think.
Keep Foods She Loves in the Mix
One problem you dont want to create is making your senior miserable around food. If you completely rip all of the foods she loves out of her diet, thats going to create bigger issues. You may not want her to eat chocolate cake every day, but if shes sticking to one slice, thats something for now. If shes amenable to adding more vegetables and fruits, thats progress. Gradually you might encourage her to have a smaller slice or to have cake every couple of days rather than every day. Again, smaller changes are less intimidating.
Remember Her Goals
Everyone has goals around health and eating, whether theyve consciously thought about them or not. Your senior may want to eat healthier, but its still difficult to do on a daily basis. Look at what her goals are and determine what she needs in order to meet those goals. She might need help with shopping or with cooking in order to start eating healthier. That could be a simple fix, especially if shes able to rely on senior care providers to take over the cooking.
Remember that these can be big changes for your senior. Let her adapt at her own pace if you can and avoid nagging whenever possible.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in St. Paul, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
