Elder care providers can help aging seniors with nutrition and kitchen assistance.
As seniors choose to age in place, you may notice that they are not eating as much as they used to. This could be due to many reasons. A senior may naturally lose their sense of smell and taste as they grow older, or they may need more help in the kitchen from elder care services.
Eating the right amount of calories is crucial for your elderly mom or dad, especially if they are choosing to age in a place rather than a home. Food is more important than a senior may think and there are so many reasons.
Here is why you and elder care should be encouraging your loved one to eat more food.
Calories Fuel a Senior’s Body
If a senior is always feeling low energy it may be due to the lack of nutrition from a lower calorie amount. There is a myth that states a senior naturally needs to eat less than younger adults, but that is simply not true. All human bodies, no matter what age they are, need a specific amount of calories to run and feel energized.
As people age, they need to eat regular meals to gain the fuel they need to stay active and for daily activities. Even if a senior is immobile, they still need a certain amount of calories to stay alive.
If you’re unsure how many calories a senior needs to live, they need to consult a doctor or nutritionist. Your loved one can get help with things like cooking or meal prep from elder care. These professionals can help ensure your loved one is eating every day around the same time and eating well-rounded meals that are filled with vitamins and minerals their bodies need for fuel.
Food Helps a Person Maintain Weight
Your senior loved one will need to focus on weight. They need to be a healthy weight for their height and age. If they are over or underweight, it could cause severe health problems that may lead to an earlier death.
Food plays a huge role in how your body feels and how long your senior loved one will live. If they are overeating, they may gain an unhealthy amount of weight, and if they are not eating at all, they may lose so much weight they have no fuel or energy to thrive while they age in place.
Most seniors forget how important food is, and it is important that elder care services take the time to remind them.
Nutrition Helps With Muscle Mass
As a senior grows older, they may naturally lose muscle mass, which means they do tend to lose some weight. Unfortunately, muscle mass is so important for your loved one to have. This is what helps their bodies stay stable as they get older and allows them to be more independent.
When they start losing muscle mass, they may start falling more or rely more heavily on elder care services. One of the best ways to prevent muscle mass from dropping is by eating more protein and getting your love done with exercise.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Elder Care in Glen Cove, NY, please contact the caring staff at Brookville Homecare today. 516-802-7722