Eating nutritious meals is one of the best ways seniors can work toward preserving their health. However, many people over 65 have difficulty preparing food and managing other kitchen tasks, which often leads them to opt for meals that are more convenient but less healthy. In some instances, they may be putting their comfort or safety at risk. Here are some reasons your senior loved one might need help with meal preparation.
1. Ward Off Nutritional Deficiencies
Many seniors fall into the habit of eating the same few foods for every meal, which frequently results in unhealthy nutritional deficiencies that can affect everything from the immune system to energy levels. By helping your loved one prepare meals, you can make sure he or she is eating a wide variety of foods to meet his or her nutritional needs.
Seniors who need help shopping for groceries and preparing nutritious meals should consider professional home care. Elderly home care providers can benefit aging adults in a variety of ways. From cooking nutritious meals to offering timely medication reminders, the dedicated caregivers at Home Care Assistance are available to help your elderly loved one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2. Reduce the Risk of Kitchen Accidents
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 8,000,000 serious kitchen accidents take place every year in the United States. This includes cuts, fires, and burns from scalding liquids. Properly organizing a kitchen can prevent some of these issues, but helping your loved one prepare meals may be a much more effective long-term strategy. Cooking your loved one’s meals can also reduce his or her risk of contracting a life-threatening foodborne illness.
3. Prevent Arthritis Flare-Ups
The CDC predicts more than 50 percent of adults will develop osteoarthritis by the time they’re 85. This extremely painful disease makes it difficult to carry out repetitive motions such as chopping vegetables and opening cans. Even if your loved one would like to help with cooking, you or a caregiver can perform the more strenuous tasks that might cause arthritis flare-ups.
A home caregiver can help your loved one get the nutrition needed to enjoy a high quality of life. Certain age-related conditions can make it more challenging for seniors to age in place safely and comfortably, but Tucson live-in care experts are available around the clock to help seniors manage their health. Whether your loved one is living with dementia or recovering from a stroke, you can trust the professional live-in caregivers from Home Care Assistance to enhance his or her quality of life.
4. Increase Weight Management Accuracy
Tracking your loved one’s weight is one of the easiest ways to catch medical issues in their earliest stages, but it will be considerably more challenging if you don’t know exactly what he or she is eating. What seems like unexplained weight loss might be nothing more than your loved one skipping breakfast each morning. Detailed dietary information can also help a doctor diagnose other unusual symptoms your loved one is experiencing.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care. Tucson families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. Rely on the professionals at Home Care Assistance to provide high-quality compassionate care for your loved one. Give us a call today at (520) 276-6555 to learn about our flexible in-home care plans.