The Role Of Nutrition In Home Care

Not every senior in Oklahoma City, OK, has issues with poor nutrition. For those who do face nutritional deficiencies, getting nutritious meals can solve the problem and add quality to their lives. It’s one of the reasons that meal preparation is such a vital part of home care. Malnutrition among seniors is more common than you think. People may be too tired to make a healthy meal, especially if they’re living alone. It can occur due to physical limitations. The signs can be involuntary weight loss or excessive weight gain. You’ll be amazed at the difference in energy and overall health when all nutritional needs are met.

Lack of protein can lead to muscle wasting and osteoporosis.

To avoid muscle wasting, you need exercise and the building blocks of muscle. That is primarily a source of protein. Muscle wasting leads to other conditions, like osteoporosis. It can diminish immunity, lead to falls, and make bones more fragile. As people age, it becomes harder to consume and digest protein. Even when seniors eat the same amount as they did earlier, it may not be enough due to absorption issues. Home care providers can ensure there’s adequate protein in a form that’s easy to consume and digest.

Home care workers can help identify a problem that requires attention.

If dental health is an issue for a senior, home care workers can alert others to the problem. When eating certain nutritious foods is the problem, they can find alternatives to provide the necessary nutrients. For some seniors living alone, loneliness and depression can be the cause of poor appetite. A home care worker can provide the link to the outside world to lift spirits and help relieve depression.

Many seniors have deficiencies that are easy to fix.

A large portion of seniors have vitamin D deficiencies. It can occur due to lack of sun, the increased need to protect the skin from the sun, or the decreased ability to process vitamin D or create it in the body. Lack of vitamin D reduces immunity and affects the strength of the bones and teeth. Including food in the diet like eggs, salmon, beef liver, fortified milk or mushrooms can help eliminate the problem. Home care workers can create well-balanced meals that are both delicious and nutritious.

• Dehydration can become a problem in older adults. Seniors dehydrate faster than their younger counterparts do. Seniors may not recognize they’re thirsty or fail to react to it. Even mild dehydration can cause UTIs. Symptoms of both dehydration and UTIs resemble dementia.
• If dental issues or diminishing appetite are part of the problem, home care specialists can solve it by making smoothies that taste like a treat but have all the necessary nutrients.
• Home care workers can make meals ahead that only require heating in the microwave and serving. It eliminates the problem of preparation.
• It’s cheaper to have a home care individual make meals ahead and freeze some of them than to eat a healthy restaurant meal. Home-cooked meals have no chemical preservatives or unhealthy additions that negatively affect health.

For more information, contact us today at LiveBetter At Home