How to Help Older Adults Eat Healthy All Year Long

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A caregiver who knows how to help older adults eat healthy tosses a salad for an older man.

Help older adults eat healthy and prevent malnutrition with these tips.

With the holidays nearing, you might be thinking about festive meals and family gatherings centered around favorite foods and traditions. But what about the rest of the year? Is everyone in your family—particularly older loved ones—getting proper nutrition on a regular basis? While holiday feasts could be an exception, many seniors quietly struggle with malnutrition for a number of reasons. The first step to knowing how to help older adults eat healthy all year is learning about the issues they might be facing. Read more

What to Do When a Senior Does Not Want to Eat

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Home caretaker – man helping senior man

Learn what to do when a senior does not want to eat at mealtime.

Following the holiday feasts, many people choose to reduce their calorie intake. But when a senior loved one refuses to eat altogether or is making unbalanced or unhealthy dietary choices, it is important to look for the cause associated with this behavior and to recognize how to encourage them to get on track with healthier eating.

Why Do Senior Eating Habits Change?

There could be many factors at play when a senior does not want to eat or when they begin to make poor dietary choices – as well as many ways you can help overcome them:

  • Issues with dental health. Speak with the dentist to determine if dentures should be refitted or if there are any other dental concerns that need to be addressed. You may want to provide foods which are softer and/or cut them into smaller pieces. Lentils, ground meat, and beans, for example, are easier to chew than a steak or pork chop.
  • Low vision. If the senior is unable to see clearly, they may regard foods differently and lose interest in eating. Vision problems can also make it more difficult and even dangerous to prepare meals as well as get out to pick up groceries. Offer to help with shopping and meal prep (or let us help!) and serve foods that are brightly colored and contrasted to the colors of serving dishes, place mats, the tablecloth, etc. so they’re more easily seen.
  • Side effects from medications. Schedule an appointment with the physician for a complete review of all medications being taken, and find out if one or more could be leading to a loss of appetite or troubling gastrointestinal side effects. See if the medication can be changed to something more tolerable or if perhaps the dosage can be changed.
  • Loneliness. This is a standard problem among older adults, and can make mealtime less enjoyable. Share meals whenever possible with a lonely senior loved one, invite friends and neighbors to join them, or contact Responsive Home Care for a caregiving companion to assist.
  • Loss of taste or smell. Aging as a whole often results in a dulling of these senses, which may affect the satisfaction of eating. Try experimenting with more aromatic and flavorful spices and herbs while preparing meals, such as ginger, garlic, and thyme.

Responsive Home Care is here for older adults struggling to keep up a healthy diet, for whatever reason. When a senior does not want to eat at their regular mealtimes, we can partner with you to help provide senior loved ones with every chance to once again enjoy meals and establish improved eating habits. Contact us online or at (954) 486-6440 to discover how we can help with our services for elder care in Hollywood, FL and the nearby areas.

How Beverage Thickeners Can Help with Swallowing Disorders in Seniors

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happy-senior-lady-drinking-smoothie

Help ease swallowing disorders in seniors with beverage thickeners.

If you’re not living with a swallowing disorder, you probably haven’t thought much about the various consistencies and textures of the liquids in your diet. When you are thirsty, nothing hits the spot like an ice-cold glass of water. On a hot summer day, you may crave a cool milkshake. And when you are recuperating from the flu, a warm bowl of soup is so comforting.

When you’re dealing with swallowing disorders in seniors, however, liquids need to be thickened, making it harder to feel as though your thirst is quenched, and changing your ability to enjoy things such as that first hot cup of coffee in the morning, or a glass of your favorite soda at lunchtime. Making a change to thickened liquids does take time, but these suggestions can help.

What Are the Best Beverage Thickeners?

It all depends on personal preference, and it may take some experimentation to identify which works best. A doctor will advise on the degree of thickness needed, which can vary from thin, to nectar- or honey-like, to spoon-thick. The kinds of thickeners available include:

  • Starch powders, produced from modified cornstarch, which have to be served right after mixing in order to avoid lumpiness or a gritty texture or taste.
  • Liquid or gel thickeners that blend easily without clumping, even into beverages which can be harder to thicken, such as soda, hot foods, or supplement beverages.
  • Pre-thickened products, which are becoming increasingly available, either in honey or nectar consistencies.
  • Gum-based powders, which are fairly new and are commonly a preferred option over starch powders, because they maintain their viscosity over time, and work without adding flavor, grit, or cloudiness to the liquid.

When navigating swallowing disorders in seniors, hydration is of the utmost importance. Certain fluids may be more palatable, particularly as the person is adapting to thickened liquids. Try fruit juice, which will be similar in texture to a fruit puree or smoothie. You can also freeze thickened juice, or just about any other thickened beverage, into an ice pop.

And don’t forget that beverage thickeners may be covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance providers. Although these products can be obtained over the counter, ask a doctor to write a prescription and include the requirement for a beverage thickener in the senior’s chart notes to see if the cost is reimbursable.

Our caregivers can help prepare thickened beverages and provide encouragement to make certain someone with a swallowing disorder stays healthy and hydrated, along with many other senior care services at home. Email or call us at (954) 486-6440 to request a complimentary in-home consultation to find out more about our home care in Lighthouse Point and the nearby areas.

Potassium May Lower Stroke Risk for Women

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Learn how potassium may be able to lower stroke risk for women.

The banana you eat in the car on the way to work could be helping to reduce your risk of suffering a stroke! In a recent study of nearly 100,000 women ranging in age from 50 – 79, it was discovered that consuming a higher level of potassium resulted in a lower stroke risk for women by as much as 12%, and by 16% for the most common type – ischemic stroke. Not only that, but those with a higher potassium intake were 10% less likely to die from any cause.

It’s worth noting that blood pressure also played a role here. Those without high blood pressure showed even more promising results, a full 21% less likely to suffer from an ischemic stroke and 27% reduced risk of stroke altogether. This led researchers to suggest that those at risk of developing high blood pressure may benefit from increasing their intake of potassium to prevent future complications.

Great sources of potassium to help lower stroke risk for women include:

  • White beans
  • Bananas
  • Leafy greens
  • Sweet potatoes
  • White potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Dairy foods
  • Meat

Remember, it’s important to consult your physician before making any dietary changes, including adding more potassium to your diet, as consuming too much can be dangerous, especially for the elderly and those with kidney disease.

Did you know Responsive Home Care offers meal planning and preparation services, in accordance with any prescribed dietary plan? We can help increase potassium in a senior’s diet to help lower stroke risk for women as they age.

There are a variety of other ways we can help improve quality of life for older adults, right in the comfort of home, such as:

  • Accompaniment to medical appointments and procedures, enjoyable outings – anywhere and anytime a senior needs or wants to go
  • Companionship for conversations, reminiscing, fun activities, exercising, and more to brighten each day and alleviate loneliness and isolation
  • Assisting with shopping for healthy food choices, picking up prescription refills, and more
  • Light housekeeping and laundry, to ensure a clean and organized home environment
  • Specialized care for those with chronic health needs, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, COPD, etc.
  • And so much more, according to each person’s individual needs

All of our services begin with a complimentary planning meeting in the senior’s home. This provides us with the opportunity to get to know the person and the challenges they are facing, and to create a customized plan of care to enhance safety, comfort, and independence.

Contact us online or call (954) 486-6440 to learn more about Responsive Home Care, the leading home health agency in Hollywood, FL and the nearby areas, and how we can make life the best it can be for someone you love!

Try These Creative Ways to Get More Fruits and Veggies Into a Senior’s Diet

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Learn how to add fruits and veggies into a senior’s diet.

It’s no surprise that many seniors, just like anyone else, prefer carbs to carrots, making it challenging to guarantee that their nutritional needs are being met. The CDC shares that just one in ten seniors are meeting the recommendation of at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit every day. Many researchers have reported that seniors who do follow these guidelines reduce their risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health issues, and subsequently live longer lives.

Maybe it’s time to think outside of the box to promote healthier eating habits in a senior’s diet. For example:

Make it crunchy. There are so many nutritious alternatives to greasy potato chips for a crispy snack or as a side to enjoy with a sandwich. Pick up a few for the older adult in order to see which ones they prefer: kale, sweet potato, beet, radish, green bean, eggplant, and much more. Or try freeze-dried fruit, another crunchy and nutritious alternative.

Make it smooth. If you’re looking to add a few superfoods to a senior’s diet, smoothies and sauces are great ways to do so. You can create a refreshing, delicious drink by blending a little spinach, yogurt, and fresh fruit. Or experiment with pureeing different vegetables to mix in with marinara sauce: zucchini, carrots, kale, bell peppers, etc.

Opt for convenience. Slicing, peeling, chopping, cooking – the numerous steps needed to prepare some vegetables and fruit make it easier to just grab a prepackaged snack. Try to find healthy alternatives that are just as easy to grab and enjoy, like ready-to-eat salads, baby carrots, or other cleaned and sliced veggies, individual cups of fruit, bananas, etc.

Freeze it up. Make your own simple, healthy frozen snacks by blending fruit with a small amount of juice or water, pouring into popsicle molds, and freezing until solid. These also make a wonderful multi-generational activity! Invite the family members over, let everyone choose their favorite flavor to make, and then spend some quality time together as you wait for them to chill before enjoying your personal creations.

Join a CSA. If you’ve never considered a CSA, now is an ideal time to explore this option. A CSA (community supported agriculture) is a subscription service for fresh produce from local farmers. Discover more and find a CSA near you here.

Responsive Home Care’s caregivers are skilled in preparing delicious, healthy meals based on each person’s individual preferences. We are available to pick up all of the ingredients too! Just give us a call at (954) 486-6440, or contact us online for assistance with enhancing a senior’s diet with the help of our elderly home care in Hollywood, FL and the nearby areas.