Seniors have a higher than average risk of malnutrition. One of the many reasons that seniors don’t eat enough is that they don’t want to eat meals alone. With the holidays quickly approaching, now is the ideal time to learn more about the big impact that sharing meals with your senior loved one can have. To you stopping by for dinner or for breakfast and coffee on the weekend might not seem like a big deal, but to your senior loved one it can be one of the best moments of the week. Remember these 4 benefits of making time to have a meal with your senior parent and make it a priority to have a meal with them at least once a week:
A Solid Meal For Your Senior Loved One
Elder Care Sugar Land, TX: Seniors and Malnutrition
If your senior parent is aging in place and often doesn’t bother to make meals on their own because they don’t like eating alone the meals they share with you during the week may be the only real meals they eat. The more meals you can share with them the better the chances are that your senior loved one won’t become one of the many seniors struggling with malnutrition. You also may want to have an elder care provider work with your senior parent because an elder care provider can help prepare meals and share them with your senior loved one. That way you can be sure your senior parent is getting at least one solid meal each day.
Quality Time For Both Of You
Sometimes it can be awkward to try and get a quality visit in with your senior parent, especially if your parent has dementia. Conversations may be difficult. But when you’re sharing a meal it’s a chance for both of you to enjoy some quality time together. You can reminisce about your favorite childhood dinners or talk about cooking, healthy eating, or memories of warm family meals. Nothing brings people together like food.
A Chance To Check On Your Senior’s Health
Your senior loved one may automatically tell you that they are fine when you ask about their health because they don’t want you to worry or because they don’t want you to know if their health is getting worse. But if you’re sitting at the table with them to share a meal you will be able to see for yourself if they have had any physical changes that might indicate a health problem. If your senior loved one is having tremors, has trouble sitting or getting up from the table, or has some other new physical symptom you will be able to see it for yourself as you’re visiting.
Help Your Senior Loved One Stay Connected
Social isolation is another big problem for seniors aging in place. If you are sharing meals with a senior loved one and you have an elder care provider who is also sharing meals with them that will ensure that they get the social connection and human interaction that everyone needs to stay connected to the world.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elder Care in Sugar Land, TX please contact the caring staff at Modern Vintage Home Care today us today! (832) 662-8236
Source:
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-malnutrition-in-older-adults#1
Modern Vintage Home Care
3 Sugar Creek Center Blvd #100
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
Phone: (832) 662-8236