Beating malnutrition and helping your senior to be as healthy as possible often means doing things like adjusting her diet a bit. One way to do that is to get more fruits and vegetables into her daily diet. With the help of 24-hour home care professionals and some information about what she already enjoys, you may have a better chance of improving this part of your senior’s diet.
Make a List of Fruits and Veggies She’ll Eat
Are there any fruits and vegetables that your elderly family member will willingly eat already? Even if the list is a short one, make sure you write them all down. There might be more on the list than either of you realize. The pickiest eaters often do a lot better with eating when you focus more on the foods that they do enjoy eating, so it helps to get an idea of what you’re working with as you develop meal plans and ideas for her.
Work Those Plant-based Foods into the Menu
Now that you’ve got a better understanding of what your senior might be willing to eat, look for ways to incorporate those plant-based food options into your senior’s menu. That might mean adding an apple with breakfast or a serving of mandarin orange slices with lunch. Including a salad with dinner, especially one that includes a mix of veggies and fruits your senior enjoys can help a lot with her plant-based food intake.
Get Some Help with Meals and Cooking
One of the biggest reasons your aging family member might not be eating as many plant-based foods as she may even want to eat can involve the effort involved in cooking. 24-hour home care providers can make meal preparation effortless as far as your senior is concerned. You’ll know that she’s eating healthy meals every day that are full of a variety of fruits, vegetables, and macronutrients.
Experiment with Foods She Already Likes
There might be newer combinations of some of the plant-based foods your senior already loves that you can try to spice things up for her. Trying out new recipes is sometimes a lot more fun than your senior might realize if she’s been a picky eater for most of her life. Home care providers can take the guesswork out of meal preparation, helping your senior to find more fruit- and vegetable-heavy meals that she might enjoy.
Consider Supplements, if Her Doctor Agrees
There are ways to supplement fruits and vegetables, some of them including actual supplements made from whole foods. It’s a good idea to talk to your senior’s doctor about whether those are a good option for her before she takes them. Other ideas include making smoothies or choosing vegetable juice as drink options for your senior. Making vegetables and fruits as palatable as possible can really help.
This is another one of those changes you want to make slowly with your senior. If you make these changes too quickly, she might be more likely to become frustrated or refuse to try new dishes or foods.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering 24-Hour Home Care in Fontana, CA please contact the caring staff at Calvary Senior Care today. (866) 710-8767
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