How to Ensure Your Aging Parents Are Eating Well
If there is one thing that appears to be quite common among the elderly, it would be that they simply aren’t getting the nutrition they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Often, it’s because they cannot cook for themselves anymore, and other times it’s a matter of getting groceries in. Then there are those elderly people who have difficulty eating because of conditions like dysphagia. Here are some things you can do to ensure your aging parents are eating well.
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Monitor Mealtimes
If at all possible, have someone available to monitor their mealtimes. It is essential to ensure they get ample nutrients through a good assortment of healthy foods. If you cannot be there with them to oversee what and how they are eating, it may be time to consider assisted living Trumbull CT. Mealtimes can be shared in common with other residents or taken in their apartments, but there will always be someone available to oversee mealtimes.
Be Their Shopper
If your aging parents can’t get out on snowy, icy roads, you can be their personal shopper. Make a weekly list to ensure they have everything they need on hand. It never hurts to have a backup supply of some of the most common staples in their cupboards just for situations like this. You may not be able to get out easily either!
Help with Food Preparation
Whether your elderly parents are living in a senior living residence or at home, the one thing you can do is help a bit with food preparation. Many working mothers use this strategy, allowing them to have healthy meals on the table 7 days a week. On one of your days off, make a couple of large casseroles that can be divided into meal-size portions and frozen. This way, they can take a meal out of the freezer, zap it in the microwave, and within minutes they can be seated with a deliciously healthy meal. Soups work well for this too. Simply freeze the leftovers, and that’s another meal highly appreciated on cold winter days.
Delight Them with Herbal Teas
While there are dozens of commercial herbal teas on the market, you can do better than that! Help them plant a small window herb garden they can access when cooking or for a nice, warm, herbal tea throughout the day. Some of the best herbs to grow in a window garden are peppermint, which can be used for tea but also help with digestive issues.
Even if you can’t personally be there with them to oversee what and how they eat, you can have someone else available to step up to the plate. This is why senior living residences are so important. With qualified staff on duty 24/7, you can be assured they are eating well and safely. The critical thing to remember is that their diet must consist of nutritious foods prepared for people in their advanced years.
