Proper Nutrition and the Elderly

You probably agree that nutrition plays a huge and important role in our lives, as well as the lives of our senior parents or loved ones but knowing how to ensure that we are getting what we need and getting our seniors to agree can be difficult sometimes.

If your senior parent is needing elderly care at home, you may be doing the grocery shopping for them, or are considering hiring a caregiver to help. When creating your senior’s list, be sure to include some or all of the heart-healthy and nutritious foods below which can help with weight control, increase in energy, and may even help to prevent diseases like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

10 foods to incorporate into your seniors’ diet:

Elderly Care Springfield, PA:Proper Nutrition and the Elderly

1. Fruits. Nature provides a sweet bounty if we know what and when to select her harvest, but older Americans generally do not eat enough fruit. Choosing vibrant fruits that are ripe with the season like fresh cherries, blueberries, or even pomegranates will ensure that your senior is receiving loads of vitamins and antioxidants. If fresh fruits aren’t readily available, frozen is good too.

2. Vegetables. Veggies dark and colorful like kale, spinach, cabbage, and Swiss chard are ideal for nutrition. Next time you or your senior’s elderly care aide do the produce shopping, pick out a vegetable you’ve never tried before!

Helpful tip: make sure you or your seniors’ caregivers are properly washing all fruits and vegetables prior to cutting or serving.

3. Fatty Fish. Salmon, sardines, tuna, and mackerel are all heart-healthy fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. Pair it with a yummy vegetable like spinach or asparagus for a well-rounded and super nutritious meal for your senior!

4. Dairy. Most adults do not get enough dairy in their daily diet. For lower-fat dairy options, select fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese, or yogurt so they are still getting the important vitamins and minerals the body needs.

5. Nuts. Portable, mess-free, and easily available, nuts are packed with omega-3’s and good-for-you fats as well as protein and fiber so grab yourself and your senior a handful today! Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts are all great choices when it comes to selecting these heart-healthy snacks but try to keep the serving size to around 1 ounce, eaten 5 times per week.

Remember: It’s all about balance. If your senior isn’t used to eating lots of healthy fruits and veggies in their diet at home, slowly try adding in foods so as not to overwhelm them all at once. Or let them have a favorite not-so-nutritious food item but pair it with a healthy option and encourage them to eat both.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care in Springfield, PA please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.

source:
https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/nutrition-for-seniors#1
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/over-50-nutrition-17/anti-aging-diet
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/know-your-food-groups

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Perry C. Doc Alleva, Owner & Administrator

Owner & Administrator at True Direct Home Health Care

True Direct HHC owner and administrator, Perry C. Doc Alleva has been in the health care community for over 10 years as a therapy solutions provider, as well as a home care services coordinator. He has extensive experience in caring for the disabled and the surgical acute, sub-acute, and rehab population. Rooted in his home-town city of Philadelphia, with strong ties to it's vast neighborhoods and communities, he's now focusing all his energies towards innovating the home health care agency's role in providing the essential care needed from individual to the family throughout the community.

Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.

"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."

In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.

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