A stroke can do many things to a person’s body. If your elderly loved one had a stroke, one of the things they might be experiencing is a lack of appetite. This happens to many people who have a stroke. Some of the reasons for this are exhaustion, difficulty chewing, and trouble swallowing. If this is the case for your elderly loved one, you can help them to eat enough. Keep reading here to find out how you can do this.
Focus on Foods that Are Favorites
If your elderly loved one doesn’t have much of an appetite after a stroke, you should focus on the foods that are their favorites. Even though they might not want to eat much, having their favorites in the house might entice them to eat at least a bit throughout the day. However, it is important to note that you or the caregivers might have to cut the food up for your elderly loved one. This way, your elderly loved one can chew and swallow the food.
Create Routines
If your elderly loved one doesn’t seem to want to eat, it might be best to create meal routines for them. This means that you or the caregivers can set up specific times that your elderly loved one will eat throughout the day. This way, your elderly loved one knows what times they are being served their food. For instance, if they know they aren’t going to eat dinner until 6:30 p.m. and it is lunchtime at 1:30 p.m., they may be more likely to eat because they know they will be hungry later on, especially if they miss lunch.
Eat with Your Loved One
When someone doesn’t have much of an appetite for any reason, they are more likely to eat if other people are around. If your elderly loved one had a stroke, but doesn’t seem to have an appetite, you or the caregivers should eat meals with them. If you or someone else is sitting down at the table with your elderly loved one, they will be more likely to eat the food you are giving them.
Conclusion
There are so many different things that can happen when someone has a stroke. While having a loss of appetite might seem like a minor thing to many people, if your elderly loved one isn’t eating well or eating enough, they can get very sick. In addition, their body can’t recover well if they aren’t getting the proper nutrients and vitamins. If you use these tips, you might be able to get your elderly loved one to eat better after their stroke. If you try these things and your elderly loved one still isn’t eating well, be sure to talk to their doctor about this.
Sources
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/zu1321
