Changing Nutritional Needs For Elderly Parents

For most of our adult lives, our bodies are predictable machines. Year after year, we fuel them with the same popular foods, catering to our cravings, definite that the only adverse follow will be an overly full belly. All of that changes, however, as we advent our golden years. With the onset of old age, the suitable meals that have been fixtures on our menus for decades can suddenly come to be health hazards. For me, this became painfully apparent only recently, when I saw my elderly father's nutritional needs palpate a major shift.

When I first made the decision to care for my elderly father more than 10 years ago, I pretty much gave Dad free reign of the kitchen. He ate all of the dishes he'd all the time enjoyed, including spicy foods and pre-packaged high-sodium meals. But after we contracted the services of Dad's current inexpressive caregiver, I realized I'd been doing him a big disservice by failing to intimately monitor his meals.

Food And Dessert

Based on what I've learned about the changing dietary needs of the elderly, I've compiled some tips for other baby boomers who are caring for an aging parent. Whenever possible, couple these strategies to growth the farranging health and well-being of your "patient":

o Watch the fat. Since elderly citizen tend to be less active and don't rehearsal as much, they start trading muscle tone for added body fat. This can growth their risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. I make sure Dad's meals don't contain too much fat, and that he gets some form of corporal performance a few times a week.

o Keep it balanced. As our parents age, it's more prominent than ever that they get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need-especially calcium, which helps to ensure bone health. Plan a menu that includes all of the food groups: lean meats, fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy, and breads and grains.

o Go dry. Seniors need a steady furnish of calcium to forestall bone fragility. Nonfat dry milk is an exquisite calcium source, and also contains plenty of vitamins A and D. Use it as a smart milk substitute for most any meal. Dry milk remains fresh for some months when stored in an airtight glass container.

o Limit the sweets. Cookies, cakes, and other fatty desserts are empty-calorie treats with puny to no nutritional value. Do your best to cut the frequency of these treats for your aging patient.

o Meet daily requirements. Older adults need the recommended amounts of requisite vitamins and minerals based on their ages and lifestyles. I plan Dad's meals to make sure he's getting plenty of zinc, iron, and fiber straight through lean red meats, dried beans, seasonal produce, and whole-grain breads.

o Control your inventory. It can be tempting to take advantage of discounts by buying in bulk, but then you'll have to find room to store it all. Plus, the surplus could go to waste if it's not used before the expiration date. Buy only what you know will get used. When you must purchase foods in larger quantities, divvy it up into private packaging and ice it to be consumed later.

o Turn one meal into four. Cook for larger portions and then save the leftovers for time to come meals. Some foods, such as lasagna, meatloaf, and casseroles, are great considerable for reheating than others.

o Master smart storage. To enlarge the freshness of non-refrigerated foods, keep them in tightly sealed glass mason jars. For best results, put them in the freezer for a night before transferring them to the pantry.

This storehouse solution works well for pasta, rice, flour, cereal, dried milk, and other shelved staples.

With some just planning and the advice of a trusted physician or caregiver, you can help ensure that your aging parent receives fresh, healthy meals that furnish both delight and sustenance.

Changing Nutritional Needs For Elderly Parents