As your loved one ages, they may not have reliable access to healthy, balanced meals. Poor eating habits and an unhealthy diet can increase your loved one’s risk of malnutrition, a weakened immune system, and chronic disease. If you want to enhance your loved one’s health and quality of life, you should do what you can to encourage them to eat healthy and maintain proper nutrition. Here is a look at the importance of proper nutrition for seniors and tips for encouraging your senior loved one to eat healthy.

The Importance of Proper Nutrition for Seniors

Maintaining proper nutrition will enhance your loved one’s physical and mental health, quality of life, and life expectancy. Eating regular, healthy, and balanced meals will provide their body with the fuel needed to maintain crucial bodily systems and functions. A balanced diet that is rich in fresh foods, whole grains, and lean protein reduces their risk of age-related physical and mental decline and chronic illness and disease. Some of the benefits of proper nutrition for seniors are:

Improved strength, energy, and endurance
Maintenance of muscle mass and strength
Reduced risk of chronic illness or disease
Proper management of existing diseases or illnesses
Support for crucial physical and cognitive functions
Maintenance of bone strength and health
Enhanced immune system function
Improved overall quality of life
Reduced risk of premature death
Greater ability to maintain physical activity and social connection

How to Create a Senior Meal Plan for a Loved One

To ensure your loved one gets proper nutrition, you can assist with grocery shopping, meal planning, and meal preparation. You might also consider using a meal delivery service, or hiring an expert in senior care to help your loved one with meal preparation and eating.

When creating a meal plan, balance your loved one’s dietary preferences with established guidelines for optimal senior nutrition. If possible, work with your loved one’s physician or a nutritionist, or seek expert advice from other professionals. Some factors to consider when creating a meal plan are:

Senior Nutrition Needs – Seniors have unique nutrition needs. They need a variety of foods from each food group to reduce their risk of diseases like high cholesterol or blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. They also need enough protein to maintain muscle and strength. They should get key vitamins and minerals through their diet and supplements. Their diet should be low in sodium, and they should avoid or reduce their intake of alcohol and sugary drinks. They also need to maintain proper hydration.
Dietary Preferences – It’s important to incorporate your loved one’s dietary preferences into their meal plan, or they won’t feel like following it. Plan meals in advance and ask for their input throughout each step so that they can retain their independence and control.
Calories and Nutrients – Pay attention to the number of calories your loved one gets each day to ensure it aligns with the recommendations from their physician or nutritionist. Keep track of the nutrients they get to make sure they are getting sufficient vitamins and minerals.

Tips for Encouraging Your Senior Loved One to Eat Healthy

Your loved one may need some encouragement to come to terms with sudden or drastic changes to their diet. Staying flexible, open, and honest in your communication can make the transition easier on both of you. If your loved one is resistant to change or is a picky eater, you can use these tips to encourage them to eat healthy:

- Consult With Their Physician or Other Experts – Before making any changes to your loved one’s diet, consult with their physician and other experts in elder care, like a nutritionist. They can give you guidelines to follow and provide tips for encouraging healthy eating. They can also help you overcome challenges that arise, and give you creative ideas for incorporating the right levels of nutrients and vitamins in each meal.
- Involve Your Loved One in Grocery Shopping and Meal Planning – Make sure your loved one still has some control over their diet and feels involved in the meal planning process. If you take over and dictate each meal, they are less likely to stick with the plan long-term, and may feel resentful about their loss of independence and free will. Take your loved one grocery shopping with you or work together to create a shopping list for a grocery delivery service. Then sit down every week or month to create menus or order pre-made meals from a delivery service.
- Use Sample Menus – Sample menus can offer inspiration and help you avoid planning the same meals over and over again. You can find sample menus online, or get some from your nutritionist. These can be a good starting point, and can be customized to your loved one’s specific preferences and dietary needs.
- Choose Versatile Ingredients – When you go grocery shopping, choose versatile ingredients that can be used for multiple meals. Make sure your loved one’s kitchen always has stock items on hand, such as canned or dried beans, canned vegetables, whole grains like rice and oats, healthy cooking oils, nuts, broths, frozen fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, soft margarine, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Keeping these staples on hand will make it easier to prepare meals, especially if you need to deviate from your plan or make a meal unexpectedly.
- Sign Up for a Meal Delivery Service – If your loved one can’t cook or if you can’t prepare every meal for them, you can sign them up for a meal delivery service. Choose meals that are appropriate for senior health, and consider ready-made or heat-and-serve meals to reduce stress.

Be Flexible and Prepared for Challenges – Know how to pick your battles. If you are flexible and prepared for change, it will make it easier on both you and your loved one. Listen to their needs and preferences, and give them space to voice their opinions. Be willing to make changes to accommodate them, and don’t stick to a rigid, unchanging weekly meal plan. Commit to providing variety and diversity in your loved one’s meals and be willing to make last-minute changes if it will encourage your loved one to eat.

Recognize That Eating Something Unhealthy Is Better Than Not Eating at All – If your loved one is stubborn or resistant to change, there may be times when they refuse to eat a meal that is prepared for them. When this happens, it may be better to let them eat what they want, even if it is something relatively unhealthy. Occasionally eating an unhealthy meal is better than not eating at all. Keep track of how often this happens and try not to let it become a habit.

Contact Placita In Home Care to Hire an In-Home Caregiver to Improve Senior Diet

At Placita In Home Care, our experienced, compassionate caregivers can help you maintain your loved one’s health and quality of life. We provide customized, flexible in-home care services, including assistance with the tasks of daily living, meal planning and preparation, grocery shopping, and light housework.

We can work with you to create a meal plan for your senior loved one, or follow an existing meal plan that you and your loved one have made. Whether your loved one lives with you or on their own, we will make sure they have healthy, balanced meals, companionship, and daily assistance to maintain their health and safety. We can also offer respite care services for family caregivers who need a break. To schedule a consultation for in-home care in the Tucson or Phoenix metro area, call us today or fill out our contact form online.