If you care for an aging parent, you know how challenging it can be to provide the nutrients their body needs. Below, we’ll discuss five tips to help your loved ones have nutritious meals even if living alone at home.
1.) Make Home-Cooked Meals
As our parents age and face new challenges, one of the most important things you can do for them is take care of their diet. Fast food, processed meals, and pre-packaged snacks aren’t healthy, especially for seniors, and it may even put them at a higher risk of developing diabetes or other illnesses. For many home caregivers who want to provide home-cooked meals for their aging parents, the solution is to supplement home-cooked meals with healthy prepared foods that can be frozen or refrigerated.
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There are also many online resources for healthy prepared meals, such as websites that sell pre-portioned and frozen meals or delivery services that cook fresh meals.
However, before you decide to go this route, it’s essential to consider your aging parent’s dietary needs and preferences.
2.) Spend Time with Them at Meals
Spending time eating at home or out with aging loved ones will help them not feel as homebound as they are. Find times to eat together to catch up on what everyone has been doing during the day. This will give you peace of mind that they receive the nutrition needed while getting their fair share of family bonding time.
If they can go out, try to choose a handicapped-accessible restaurant that has ample parking. Age can be hard on both the body and mind, so any moments spent together will be cherished. Taking these small steps can help your loved ones feel more included and valued.
3.) Set Up a Home Care Assistant
Often homebound seniors cannot cook for themselves, and with a busy schedule, you may find you’re unable to do so as well. If you find this to be the case, call us at (802) 586-9133, and we’ll set up someone to come to their home to make nutritious meals.
If your senior loved one needs a little extra help getting baking ingredients together or cooking a specific dish, they used to enjoy years ago, we will do our best to assist in this way as well.
Our caregivers are also happy to shop for groceries, so your loved one can have fresh ingredients for their meals. We understand that nutritious food is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, and we want to ensure that homebound seniors have access to the best possible food options.
4.) Get Cooking Tools
Having the proper utensils can make home-cooked meals less daunting. You can buy simple items that are great for health-conscious eating online or at your local grocery store. These utensils include things like soup spoons, vegetable choppers, graters, strainers, etc.… They are inexpensive but serve many purposes, making you more likely to use them at home with loved ones.
A vegetable chopper makes it simple to slice up vegetables for salads or stir-fries without worrying about cutting yourself on the blade. These also help with making zucchini noodles (a low-calorie substitute for pasta), cucumber slices (great for dipping into hummus), or celery sticks (an excellent vehicle for peanut butter).
A good strainer is great to have if you find yourself making a lot of sauces or soups. You can use it for pasta, rice, lentils, and beans. A quality one will last you years, so don’t worry about spending extra money on this item.
These are just some suggestions that will help you have more fun cooking foods at home rather than eating out or buying pre-packaged items that may not be as healthy for your family. Start small with what you buy – there is no need to spend large amounts of money right away when all it takes is a little imagination.
5.) Use a Grocery Delivery Service
Some older adults lack the mobility they once had or don’t drive anymore, making it difficult to go grocery shopping. Therefore, home delivery services are excellent. Many local grocery stores will offer the option for you to order food and have it personally delivered. In addition, some stores offer discounts for first-time customers or will deliver your first order free. Be sure to ask about these discounts when you’re placing your order. First, however, make sure that you have enough storage space in your home for all the groceries.
No matter what grocery store you choose, be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before placing your order. You want to be sure that you’re getting the best service possible, so ask questions if you’re unsure about something in the terms and conditions. For example, some grocery stores require a minimum amount for free delivery or offer specific discounts for online orders only.
Senior nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated! We hope these tips help make caring for your loved one more approachable.