Watching seniors experience big changes as they age isn’t always easy. It’s especially difficult to watch them lose their appetites and deal with the challenges that brings. Understanding why seniors experience declining appetites can help families come up with some solutions that help. Senior home care services can offer support while coping with these issues.
Why Is Appetite Changing?
There are physical, emotional, and practical reasons seniors might not have the same appetite they had in the past. If they’re lonely and have a tough time eating meals alone, that’s a relatively simple fix. Other issues are more complicated. Feeling as if they have no control elsewhere or battling depression can also impact appetite. Sometimes seniors have physical issues, like difficulty chewing or lack of a sense of taste. If the problem is that they have trouble cooking or they can’t maintain solid routines, home care can help.
Offer Foods Higher in Calories
When seniors aren’t eating much, every calorie matters that much more. If seniors can get extra nutrients as well, that can keep them from losing too much strength and mobility. Some of the best high calorie foods might include nut butters, cheeses, or eggs. Including a mix of different foods consistently can help seniors to get the nutrients and calories they need, even if they’re eating less overall.
Make Food Easier to Eat
If seniors have trouble chewing or swallowing, food may be more difficult to eat. Senior home care providers can offer suggestions that help, like increasing liquid calories or pureeing foods. When the weather is colder, soups can offer tons of nutrition while being easy to eat. In hot weather, smoothies or milkshakes might be a better idea. There may be other ideas that work, too, and home care providers have a lot of experience helping aging adults find solutions to those problems.
Choose Different Utensils
Sometimes seniors have appetite issues because they’re not able to feed themselves easily. Serving food in smaller portions that are easy to eat with their hands might be an option. Choosing other types of utensils that are easy to hold can also help. Experimenting a bit can eventually land everyone on the right answer.
Put Meals on a Schedule
When seniors just aren’t hungry, they’re far less likely to initiate a meal or snack on their own. One option that helps is to set solid meal and snack times. During those times, it’s important that seniors try to eat something, even if it’s only a few bites. Gradually, their brains and bodies get used to the idea of eating during those times. They may find that they start eating a bit more each day until they’re back to eating regular serving sizes.
There isn’t always one easy answer to the appetite problem for seniors. Finding answers starts with looking at what is working and what isn’t. Senior home care providers can help aging adults try different solutions to see what actually allows them to keep getting the nutrition they need every day.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior home care in St. Louis Park, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
