Blog on caregiver, cleaning and health care related matters.
Jan-22-2021 | Uncategorized,
Caring for Seniors: Diet and Nutrition
Eating a healthy and nutritious diet is essential for seniors as they age. The human metabolism changes as people grow older. Seniors don’t need to eat as much as they did when they were younger. This makes what they do choose to eat all the more important. Here are some tips to keep in mind about diet for seniors and nutrition.
Put Colors on the Plate
One way to make sure older people eat healthily is to encourage colorful eating. A healthy plate includes foods from different food groups including:
– Whole grains like whole-wheat pasta and brown rice
– Lean proteins like eggs, lean meats, beans, and seafood
– Fruits and vegetables that are green, red, orange, and purple
– Low-fat dairy such as milk, almond milk, and cheese
Know What’s in Your Food
Labels matter when it comes to a good diet. The healthiest ones are foods like produce, dairy, and meat because they are whole and not processed. This is why reading labels matters. Hidden things such as added sugar, higher fat, and sodium lurk in processed foods and can derail the most well-intentioned efforts to eat well.
How to Get Healthy Food For Seniors
Knowing what is in food and the types of food to eat are only one part of proper nutrition. The truth is that many seniors struggle with accessing food due to a lack of ability to get out and shop. But there are several ways to make sure seniors have access to nutritious foods. These include:
Stocking up on healthy foods:
– Boxed, shelf-stable soups
* Almonds and cashews
* Fresh salads
* Dried fruits
* Baby Carrots
* Sliced chicken
* Fresh string beans
Arranging for prepared meals from services like Mom’s Meals or meal kit services like Hello Fresh to deliver ingredients to make meals.
Set up grocery deliveries from services like Instacart, Amazon Fresh, or Shipt. These services can be scheduled days in advance or delivered the same day. Instacart and Shipt offer multiple stores on their platform including Safeway, Target, and CVS.
If you’re worried about your loved one’s diet and nutrition. Reach out to Polish Care Services about setting up long term care services that include meal preparation. Reach out to us today.