As a family caregiver, it is important to know that many elderly people will experience malnutrition. They often don’t eat enough or don’t eat the right types of food. If your elderly loved one is not eating properly, this can lead to many health issues, including malnutrition. However, there are some ways that you and caregivers can help your elderly loved one to prevent malnutrition.
Learn More About Malnutrition
Before you can truly help your elderly loved one prevent malnutrition, you need to understand what it is. Malnutrition is when someone isn’t getting the right amount of nutrients daily. When this happens, the body does suffer. This could be the case for your elderly loved one. It is very common in elderly people who live on their own, who can’t make it to grocery stores regularly, or who have a degenerative neurological disease. Sometimes your elderly loved one just needs some help keeping their diet on track. Caregivers can offer the extra help that your elderly loved one needs.
Ways Caregivers Can Help with Malnutrition
If you want to help prevent malnutrition in your elderly loved one, but can’t be around enough to do that, you can hire caregivers from a home care service agency. They can come to your elderly loved one’s home to help with daily nutrition and other tasks. Some of the things they can do include the following:
- Make a grocery list with your elderly loved one
- Transport your loved one to the grocery store often or go to the store for them
- Help with meal preparation or do all of the meal preparation
- Cook meals (in some instances)
- Help to feed your elderly loved one (if they need this type of help)
- Be a companion for your loved one to encourage them to eat better
These are just some of the things that caregivers can do to help your elderly loved one eat better every day. Remember, there are many reasons why your elderly loved one might not be eating as they should be.
Working Together
It is important that you and your senior’s caregiver work together to help prevent malnutrition in your elderly loved one. Pay attention to any signs that your loved one isn’t eating properly. Watch out for side effects of medications they are taking that might prevent them from eating well. If you suspect any issues with malnutrition, be sure to talk to your loved one’s doctor to create a nutritional plan.
Conclusion
Now that you know more about malnutrition and how caregivers can help your elderly loved one prevent or treat it, you can make a care plan for them today. Remember, there are many reasons why your elderly loved one may not be eating well. Talk to them and figure out what is going on.
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/senior-health/art-20044699
If you or an aging loved-one are considering caregivers in Greenwood Village, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today. Call us at (303) 756-9322.
