If you spend a lot of time with an aging loved one, you might notice that their relationship with food has begun to change. It’s not uncommon for seniors to eat less, to forget to eat entirely, or even to eat too much. It varies depending on the person, but many seniors will experience diet changes as they get older.

 

Maybe they are hesitant to eat – they tell you that they’re just not hungry, that seniors don’t require as many calories, that they’ll rifle through the pantry if they need anything. Maybe they’re only eating junk food or drinking more alcohol than usual – and they tell you that they’ve “got it under control” and they just like to treat themselves sometimes. You might notice that your parent is experiencing weight changes as the food in their refrigerator spoils.

 

It might feel confusing, disheartening, and worrying to watch your parents’ changing relationship with food. It could feel like a fight to get them to eat dinner and it can be alarming to see the expired food piling up in their kitchen.

 

Bad eating habits (including neglecting to eat at all or choosing to eat very little) can have serious impacts on a person’s health – especially as their bodies are aging and sicknesses are harder to fight. A healthy, balanced diet can prevent a myriad of diseases as it strengthens the immune system, keeps a person feeling energized and upbeat, and generally improves the quality of life.

 

On today’s episode, it’s all about how to help your loved ones follow a healthy diet. We’ll talk about why changes in diet are common among seniors, the proven benefits of healthy eating for seniors, meal preparation tips, and specialized diets for seniors who are facing other health difficulties. It’s time to get your loved one eating right again.

 

While you might feel sad or even frustrated when your mom or dad refuses dinner, it’s important to understand why their relationship with food is changing. Here’s the hard truth. According to the CDC, a staggering 20% of adults aged 55 and older have a mental health disorder, such as anxiety, cognitive impairment, or depression. Even more specifically, the CDC has found that 7 million adults over the age of 65 are affected by depression.

 

Depression and feelings of loneliness, isolation, or anxiety are particularly common among seniors who are living alone. Side effects of depression and loneliness include lethargy, laziness, and lack of motivation. For many seniors who are experiencing these feelings, the thought of meal preparation feels exhausting. It’s simply easier to snack from a bag of chips or head to bed without a bite.

 

In addition to mental health struggles, as people age, they are more susceptible to physical health problems that might make eating and cooking much harder than before. If they are living through diabetes, congestive heart failure, or even cancer – they will need to follow a specialized diet that can be difficult to maintain. They might also suffer from an extreme lack of appetite when they are not feeling well. Others still, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients, might have trouble chewing and swallowing – making eating feel daunting and not worth the effort. They could also have mobility issues that keep them from cooking their own meals or working their way around the kitchen. 

 

Believe it or not, dignity might even get in the way. For some seniors, after they are no longer able to drive, they are eager to hold onto any independence that they have left. That means being hesitant to ever ask for help – even if they need it. Sometimes, seniors simply don’t eat because they don’t have a ride to the store for food – and they feel that asking for help will mean failure. Keep in mind that a loss of independence can feel crushing to many aging adults. Some fear that asking for help with simple errands will lead to their children putting them in a nursing home or hiring extra care.

 

Financial issues also come into play. Seniors who are struggling financially might be less likely to go to the grocery store or even order food for delivery. They might not want to admit that they are struggling and refuse to ask for help, once again afraid of losing their dignity and independence.

 

For seniors struggling to maintain a healthy diet, there can be terrible consequences. We all know that healthy eating is important regardless of our age – but this is especially true for older adults. Studies by the National Institute on Aging have found that a healthy diet can reduce the risk for diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes. At the same time, it can help seniors stay independent for longer – as their bodies are simply better prepared to fight off illness.

 

We may worry that our parents poor eating habits are keeping them from living their best lives and putting them at risk. The good news is that for most seniors, regardless of why they are no longer eating the way they used to, it doesn’t have to be too terribly difficult to get them eating right again. The biggest factor for many seniors is convenience. If they do not have to worry about meal prep or the chore of cleaning the kitchen after cooking, that will make an enormous difference.

 

There are weekly food subscription boxes like Snap Kitchen and Thrive Market that send pre-packaged and pre-made healthy meals that simply need to be popped into the microwave. This might be the ideal option for family caregivers who do not want to spend most of their week cooking and cleaning after each meal. These meals are better than those found in the frozen aisle at the store, because they are specially prepared by chefs with fresh, healthy ingredients and offer a wide variety of meal options (so your loved one won’t have to eat the same thing every day). These services might seem expensive on first glance, but when you consider that they’ll pretty much replace grocery shopping, the price tends to even out. Snap Kitchen costs $11.67 per meal and sends 6-12 meals a week. Thrive Market sends 10 meals a week for $89.99.

 

If you have the time, you can also prepare meals for your loved one yourself. Some families choose to cook meals in bulk one day a week and drop them off at their loved one’s home in Tupperware containers. That makes meal prep so easy for seniors – who just have to pop the food in the microwave – and you can be sure that you’re making food you know your loved one likes.

 

Pre-packaged meal prep, whether you order a subscription or make it yourself, is often the best option for seniors who live alone. After all, cooking for one can feel depressing and exhausting for many people – especially those who have recently lost a spouse and are not used to living by themselves. When they have a meal ready to go, they don’t have to face the pain that can coincide with cooking for one. 

 

If your loved one has a hired caregiver, then the caregiver might take on the cooking, feeding, and cleaning themselves – which, of course, can be an enormous help. Just make sure that they are following healthy recipes that your parent loves and not cooking the same three meals every single week. Just like you wouldn’t want to eat the same thing every day, neither does your parent. 

 

When it comes to handling meal prep either by yourself or with the help of a hired caregiver, there are steps you can take to make sure the meal is healthy, easy to prepare, and enjoyable for your loved one. Begin by choosing one day each week to sit down with your loved one and plan out the meals for the week ahead. Once you’ve come up with a list, write down all the ingredients you’ll need – and see if you can repeat any meals, or repeat any ingredients to save time and money. Left over chicken, for instance, can be chopped up and put in chicken noodle soup later on. Try to come up with recipes that will last in the refrigerator for a few days, so your parent doesn’t have to eat it all at once and can have easy access to leftovers.

 

Once you have the meals and ingredients, you can talk to your loved one about meal prep. Do they want you to drop off meals at the beginning of each week that they can heat up in the microwave or do they want to cook anything together? For some seniors, time spent in the kitchen can be fulfilling and exciting, especially if it means spending time with their adult children or grandchildren. You can pick one or two days a week where you cook together (just make sure that your loved one isn’t taking on more than they can handle).

 

When it comes to choosing meals, look for meals with lean protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. To make sure that your loved one is getting all the nutrients they need, you can head to MyPlate online, where you can see exactly how the food groups should be divided onto every plate.

 

Examples of healthy breakfasts include foods like hard boiled eggs and fruit, oatmeal with berries, yogurt, peanut butter toast, or whole grain pancakes. Lunch might include meals like chicken noodle soup, quinoa salad, omelets, salmon wraps, or tuna sandwiches. Dinner could include Alaskan salmon, meat and potatoes, protein fueled pasta, or chicken salad.

 

If your loved one does want to try cooking, make sure that the kitchen is safe and ready to go. For tips on how to keep the room safe for meal prep and eating, listen to our episode on kitchen safety. Once the kitchen is good to go, make sure that the utensils your loved one will use are easy to maneuver and safe. That means finding ergonomic cooking utensils, like rocker knives, that could help your loved one chop vegetables even if they are suffering from arthritis. Making the kitchen a fun and safe place to be will help make cooking fun again for your loved one.

 

Of course, everyone is different, and some seniors might be experiencing health issues that require a specialized diet. If your loved one is using blood thinners, has diabetes or congestive heart failure, or has recently suffered from a stroke, they will need to follow certain diets in order to stay healthy and avoid greater health risk. The same is true for those with cancer or other potentially life-threatening diseases.

 

If your loved one is at risk of blood clots or has had them in the past, they will likely be taking blood thinners. Blood thinners can mean the difference between life or death for many seniors – but they also mean avoiding certain foods that can interfere with the blood thinner and put them at risk.

 

If you or your loved one is taking blood thinners, be sure to talk extensively with your doctor about what diet to follow. Remember, everyone is different and what you can eat might vary depending on any other illnesses you are facing or other medications you might be on.

 

Still, for the most part, people on blood thinners will be told to avoid foods that contain vitamin K. Vitamin K can intercept the blood thinners, causing them to malfunction, and leading to blood clots. Most patients will not have to cut out vitamin K entirely – but they will need to avoid consuming large amounts of it.

 

Leafy, green vegetables like kale, brussels sprouts, chard, collard greens, and spinach are especially high in Vitamin K. These should be avoided entirely for anyone taking blood thinners. You can replace these vegetables with carrots, green beans, and asparagus to make up for the loss of nutrients.

 

Other foods that should be avoided are foods that thin blood – that’s because if you are on blood thinners and eating blood thinning foods, your blood can become too thin and lead to excessive blood loss. Blood thinning foods include cranberry juice and alcohol. Your safest bet is to stick to water and make sure you’re always hydrated.

 

If you have diabetes, healthy eating is essential to controlling your disease – and maybe even reversing it. The most important thing for diabetes patients to do is to lose a little weight – in fact, losing as little as 5% of your weight can lower your blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure – and your healthy diet will improve your energy, mood, and quality of life. Avoid junk food and eat more fruits and vegetables, high fiber meals like cereals and whole grain breads, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs and beans.

 

If you have congestive heart failure, or CHF, eating too much sodium or drinking too many fluids makes your heart work even harder to get extra blood through your blood vessels. Eating a low-sodium diet will help you to stay heart-healthy and avoid any serious risk to your heart.

 

It is recommended that patients with CHF eat foods like fruits and veggies that are already low in sodium, along with salt-free lean meats, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, milk, pasta, oatmeal, and sodium-free rice. When cooking, either cut the sodium entirely from recipes, or use half or less of the recommended amount. Avoid eating fast food, junk foods, or anything else high in sodium.

 

If you’ve recently suffered from a stroke, your doctor has likely spoken with you about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet. Healthy eating can help you heal faster, while allowing you to avoid suffering another stroke or heart problems in the future.

 

It is recommended that those recovering from a stroke eat plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Fish is an excellent protein choice and can be mixed with leafy greens and rice for a well-balanced dinner option. 

 

You should avoid anything high in sodium or in sugar. Processed foods can lead to ischemic strokes – which stroke victims are at a higher risk for – so stick to plant-based diets and low-sodium or sodium-free meals and sugar-free meals. Trade in soda for water (carbonated water might help with the switch) and avoid drinking fruit juice or sports drinks.

 

It’s hard for seniors to follow a healthy diet for a myriad of reasons – but when they do, they’ll find that they feel so much more energized, happier, and even more independent. Not to mention, their risk for disease is lowered and their quality of life is heightened. Start helping your loved one prep their meals today, so they can stay healthy and happy as long as possible.

 

We want to thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode, please share it with them.

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Here are the resources used for this episode:

https://www.care.com/c/stories/5445/quick-easy-healthy-meals-for-seniors/

 

https://companionsforseniors.com/2018/09/how-to-help-your-elderly-parents-with-meal-prep/

 

https://www.rightathome.net/blog/meal-prepping-for-aging-parents

 

https://medium.com/ayuda-care/single-serving-make-ahead-meals-for-seniors-8ab96a7ba6fc

 

https://www.caringseniorservice.com/services/meal-preparation

 

https://cphs.wayne.edu/occupational-therapy/resources/nutrition_-_a_simple_guide_to_meal_prep_for_older_adults.pdf

 

https://www.livestrong.com/article/517108-a-good-diet-when-taking-blood-thinners/

 

http://www.secondscount.org/healthy-living/healthy-living-detail?cid=05b6a497-6598-43d5-b549-d64e03e94f8c#.YFTbJrRKhfU

 

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/diets/the-diabetes-diet.htm

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-best-foods-for-diabetics

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324416

 

https://www.everydayhealth.com/stroke/diet-after-a-stroke.aspx

 

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/cib_mental_health.pdf

 

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-eating

 

https://www.ncoa.org/article/healthy-eating-tips-for-seniors