The Senior Nutrition Dilemma— How Can You Make Sure Your Loved One Eats Well-Rounded Meals?

When it comes to preserving an aging senior’s quality of life, you may be surprised to learn that adequate nutrition often presents a big health challenge, even for those who are who are still actively mobile and financially stable. Though not intentional, many seniors fall into poor eating habits and often do not take the time to prepare or cook well-rounded meals, compromising senior whole health. This trend usually stems from the following reasons:

• They live alone, or are empty-nesters. Meal preparation and clean-up takes time and effort, and some seniors feel that cooking a nice or full meal from themselves is wasteful and don’t consider senior whole health. They find it easier to rely on convenience foods, to go without, or tide themselves over with items that do not include well-balanced nutrition.
• They struggle to transition to small meal preparation for one or two people. For example, after years of preparing meals for his or her large family, a senior may feel like unmotivated to transition to smaller scale meal preparation. Also, with a history of meals as a communal affair, a lonely senior may avoid mealtime as it could be a source of sadness or depression, negating senior whole health.
• They struggle with grocery shopping, particularly transportation, or getting groceries home and put away.

As someone caring for an aging parent or senior, you can make a big difference in the nutritional health of your loved one. When you take a more hands-on role with food and meals, you help ease some of the burden, gain more awareness of what food is available, and create a positive dynamic. Here are just a few ideas to get started with senior whole health, and that won’t place undue stress on your own family:

• Volunteer to take your loved one shopping and help put groceries away. With the right approach, you give your senior the help they need while preserving their dignity and independence for senior whole health.
• Double up on your own meal portions, and freeze the extras in individually-sized servings. You can even write the basic reheating instructions on the containers for easy preparation. Casseroles, soups, and stews freeze well, and you can make double or triple batches easily.
• Consider meal delivery services. If finances factor into your senior’s struggles, check to see if he or she is eligible for community programs, like Meals on Wheels.
• Invite your loved one to family dinners or other communal meals so that they receive more social interaction with their meals, focusing on senior whole health.
• If your loved one is amiable, help create weekly meal plans and grocery lists. You can even help prep certain ingredients for the week, like shredding cheese, or chopping vegetables. When you make meal planning and preparation easier, he or she may be more inclined to maintain more consistent healthy eating.
BlueSea Care believes that you truly can be the best advocate for your loved one’s nutritional health. With a few small steps, you ensure that meals remain a source of nourishment both inside and out.