4 Tips: Choosing Food for the Elderly

You must have heard this already, but a little reinforcement every once in a while surely helps. You’ve done a good job in caring for your aging family member at home. Yes, there will be challenges and pressures. But then again, don’t these happen all the time? So since hurdles do come in life, make it worth your while. That’s the lasting reward of taking care of your elderly loved ones at home. Our founder at Above and Beyond Caregiving, Inc., knows this from personal experience, and so we trust that your choice of senior care will bring you overflowing fulfilment.

With our years of experience as providers of home care services in San Antonio, TX, we’ll share with you helpful tips of choosing food for your aging loved one. Your beloved family member will surely appreciate your extra thoughtfulness in considering the following factors:

• Food preference 
  Ask your senior loved one what they want to eat. When they have appetite problems, serving them with their personal choice can definitely stimulate their appetite. Just think about how you’d feel if you’re forced to do something. Even if it’s to eat food, you still would lack interest if it’s forced on you, right? So, consider their preference when choosing what to serve them next.
• Nutrition content 
  Some seniors might repeat their request for a particular food. This could compromise the nutrition requirement. So make a variety of meal choices when serving them. Along with their food preference, also consider the nutrients they require at their age. Be intentional about meeting their nutrition contents in order to achieve their health goals.
• Eating convenience 
  Part of the elderly challenges is the difficulty of eating or swallowing. Perhaps due to denture issues or other illnesses, your loved one may find it difficult to eat conveniently. If this is the case of your family member, prepare their food in a smooth and easy-to-swallow version. You can go for porridge, smoothies, and the like. The most important thing to consider is that they can eat on schedule with the needed nutrients.
• Choking hazards 
  Watch out for food items that may be a choking hazard for your loved one. These could be overly sticky foods or improperly sliced fruits. If you’re uncertain about what you need to do when preparing foods for your aging loved one, you can request for our personal care services at Above and Beyond Caregiving, Inc. You can trust us to extend the excellent care your beloved deserves.