Caring for an elderly loved one can be challenging to help them eat healthier. Whether it's because of a lack of accessibility to fresh food or time constraints for preparation, the main issue is that cooking has become more difficult.
Fortunately, there are ways you can help your loved one get on track with eating better. With the proper guidance, they can eat healthier while enjoying the foods they love most.
Here are eight tips that can help you assist an older loved one eat healthier:
1. Introduce New Food Slowly In Their Diet.
When helping an elderly loved one eat healthier, the most important thing is ensuring they don't feel like they're being forced into anything. When transitioning your loved one onto a new diet, you must introduce fresh foods slowly and gradually. By doing so, they will feel more at ease with the changes and make it easier for them to adjust their current habits accordingly.
2. Avoid Lecturing
Although you may feel like lecturing your loved one on the importance of eating healthier is a good idea, it's important to avoid this if possible. Lecturing can end up being more harmful than beneficial and make your loved one feel more stressed about the situation. Instead of trying to push a diet onto them, find ways that you can work together and come to compromise and decisions that are mutually beneficial for everybody involved.
3. Find Out What Your Loved One Enjoys.
When it comes to helping your loved one eat healthier, the first thing you should do is figure out what kinds of foods they enjoy. Some people may prefer eating fresh fruits or vegetables while others may want more processed foods like chips and other snacks. You must find out what they enjoy to prepare meals much easier.
4. Be Open-Minded
While you may be open to eating healthier, your loved one must also be. Emphasize the importance of eating better by providing them with some solid facts and figures. For instance, you can show them articles that provide researched-based evidence on the benefits of certain foods and vitamins. If they understand the reasoning behind your suggestions, they're more likely to cooperate with you and eat healthier.
5. Keep Meals Accessible
One of the biggest obstacles for older loved ones might be eating healthier because their diet may not be as accessible due to a lack of transportation or mobility. If this is the case, try making their meals more accessible so they can eat healthier without problems. Likewise, you could invite your friends and family over for meals and include them in the process. This will help your loved one socialize with others while ensuring they're eating healthy.
6. Keep a Food Diary
One of the best ways to help an older loved one eat healthier is to keep a food diary. In this process, you'll be able to find out exactly what their eating habits are like. Doing this and keeping track of what they eat will make it easier for you and your loved one to have healthy meal options during the week and monitor their overall diet.
7. Provide Accessible Tools
When it comes to serving your loved one, you want to ensure that everything is as accessible as possible. This includes the plates and utensils. If you have a loved one who has trouble with mobility, or a hand tremor, then you'll want to get them an assisted feeding device. These devices can help ease the strain of feeding and can be used in conjunction with other feeding methods, like assistive utensils or adaptive gadgets.
8. Make Them Comfortable
When helping an older loved one eat healthier, you also want to ensure they're comfortable. While you may not have much control over their surroundings, it is within your power to help them feel at ease and relaxed when it comes to eating. Make sure that the room and dining area are comfortable and that there are enough chairs for everyone to eat.
Conclusion:
With the right set of tools, it is possible to help an older loved one eat healthier. While it won't be easy, the more you provide them with proper information, the easier it will be for everybody involved. Using these tips, you can better understand how to make your loved one healthier and happier in the long run.
Image via Pexels
Fortunately, there are ways you can help your loved one get on track with eating better. With the proper guidance, they can eat healthier while enjoying the foods they love most.
Here are eight tips that can help you assist an older loved one eat healthier:
1. Introduce New Food Slowly In Their Diet.
When helping an elderly loved one eat healthier, the most important thing is ensuring they don't feel like they're being forced into anything. When transitioning your loved one onto a new diet, you must introduce fresh foods slowly and gradually. By doing so, they will feel more at ease with the changes and make it easier for them to adjust their current habits accordingly.
2. Avoid Lecturing
Although you may feel like lecturing your loved one on the importance of eating healthier is a good idea, it's important to avoid this if possible. Lecturing can end up being more harmful than beneficial and make your loved one feel more stressed about the situation. Instead of trying to push a diet onto them, find ways that you can work together and come to compromise and decisions that are mutually beneficial for everybody involved.
3. Find Out What Your Loved One Enjoys.
When it comes to helping your loved one eat healthier, the first thing you should do is figure out what kinds of foods they enjoy. Some people may prefer eating fresh fruits or vegetables while others may want more processed foods like chips and other snacks. You must find out what they enjoy to prepare meals much easier.
4. Be Open-Minded
While you may be open to eating healthier, your loved one must also be. Emphasize the importance of eating better by providing them with some solid facts and figures. For instance, you can show them articles that provide researched-based evidence on the benefits of certain foods and vitamins. If they understand the reasoning behind your suggestions, they're more likely to cooperate with you and eat healthier.
5. Keep Meals Accessible
One of the biggest obstacles for older loved ones might be eating healthier because their diet may not be as accessible due to a lack of transportation or mobility. If this is the case, try making their meals more accessible so they can eat healthier without problems. Likewise, you could invite your friends and family over for meals and include them in the process. This will help your loved one socialize with others while ensuring they're eating healthy.
6. Keep a Food Diary
One of the best ways to help an older loved one eat healthier is to keep a food diary. In this process, you'll be able to find out exactly what their eating habits are like. Doing this and keeping track of what they eat will make it easier for you and your loved one to have healthy meal options during the week and monitor their overall diet.
7. Provide Accessible Tools
When it comes to serving your loved one, you want to ensure that everything is as accessible as possible. This includes the plates and utensils. If you have a loved one who has trouble with mobility, or a hand tremor, then you'll want to get them an assisted feeding device. These devices can help ease the strain of feeding and can be used in conjunction with other feeding methods, like assistive utensils or adaptive gadgets.
8. Make Them Comfortable
When helping an older loved one eat healthier, you also want to ensure they're comfortable. While you may not have much control over their surroundings, it is within your power to help them feel at ease and relaxed when it comes to eating. Make sure that the room and dining area are comfortable and that there are enough chairs for everyone to eat.
Conclusion:
With the right set of tools, it is possible to help an older loved one eat healthier. While it won't be easy, the more you provide them with proper information, the easier it will be for everybody involved. Using these tips, you can better understand how to make your loved one healthier and happier in the long run.
Image via Pexels
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