4 Ways Home Care Prevents Malnutrition In Seniors
Malnutrition is a very serious problem for seniors. Some studies indicate that 50% of seniors or more could in some stage of malnutrition. But it’s very difficult for doctors and family members of seniors to figure out the most effective ways to fight malnutrition in seniors because there are so many different causes.
Malnutrition in seniors can have both physical and emotional causes and family members need to find out what factors are contributing to their senior loved one not eating enough before they can fix the problem. In-home care can help seniors who are malnourished or at risk of becoming malnourished by:
Helping With Shopping
In-Home Care Spokane County, WA: Malnutrition In Seniors
One of the factors that cause seniors to skip meals is having difficulty shopping. Grocery shopping can be physically demanding for seniors who have health conditions. Walking around a large grocery store pushing a heavy car requires having good balance, the ability to walk comfortably, the ability to reach up and get items off shelves, and the ability to grip bottles, cans, and boxes.
Then seniors need to bend over and straighten up putting items on the checkout counter and then they must carry heavy bags to the car and into the house. In-home care providers can go to the store with seniors to assist them with the physical tasks involved in shopping.
Meal Preparation
Another factor that contributes to malnutrition in seniors is that seniors can have trouble preparing meals. Even making a simple meal can mean doing things like cutting vegetables, filling pots with water, gripping pots and pans, getting dishes out of cupboards, and lots of other movements. Seniors may struggle to do those things and decide to skip meals rather than struggle or risk dropping a hot pan or breaking a dish. In-home care means that seniors will always have someone in the home to help them make meals and snacks so that they won’t need to struggle.
Sharing Meals
Some seniors skip meals because they hate eating alone. If your senior parent recently lost a spouse or is just not used to eating meals alone they may eat small snacks rather than eating full meals because meals are a reminder that they are alone. If will help if you can visit for meals regularly, but in-home care can help too. A care provider can share meals with your senior parent so that they won’t feel so lonely.
Helping With Pantry Stocking
Seniors who are aging in place can benefit from keeping a fully stocked pantry that has easy to open snacks and easy to open staples that they can cook like instant rice. But it can be difficult for seniors to organize a pantry, come up with a list of staples, and make sure that the pantry is stocked with essentials. In-home care providers can sit down with your senior parent and come up with a list of everything that should be in the pantry. Then they can shop for those items and make sure that your senior loved one has plenty of food in their house.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering In-Home Care in Spokane County, WA please contact the caring staff at Angel Senior Care today at (509) 326-4357.
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-malnutrition-in-older-adults
https://www.agingresearch.org/our-initiatives/malnutrition-in-older-adults/
https://acl.gov/news-and-events/acl-blog/combatting-senior-malnutrition
After watching our own family members struggle with the need for compassionate home care, we determined that we could be that caring solution and provide home care in Spokane – not just for our family, but for seniors throughout Spokane County. We like to think of our clients as our extended family, and we treat them with the same dignity and respect our own grandparents and parents would expect to receive.
Our feeling is that while all of our caregivers need to be qualified in terms of certifications and experience, our goal is to hire those that are unique in their drive to show service and respect to the elderly. We hire only those caregivers who share our purpose, passion, and commitment.
Between the two of us, we have more than 30 years’ combined experience in the health care industry and are committed to providing the best Spokane senior care. We have utilized that experience to create a care-centered business model that puts the health and well being of our clients first.
When you entrust the care of your loved one to the experience and commitment of Angel Senior Care, you can rest easy knowing they are looked after, both physically and emotionally.
Sincerely, Vaughn & Donna Young
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