Nutritional Facts That You Need to Know For the Elderly

By Jessica Ott | December 3, 2020 |

Everyone needs to eat healthy. However, you may notice that your elderly loved one isn’t eating as well as they should be. You may want to talk to your loved one about this. Talking to them about how you feel is a good way to go about this conversation. You might want to let them know that you don’t want to see anything bad happen to them.

Home Care Services Gettysburg PA – Nutritional Facts That You Need to Know For the Elderly

Eating right can help with their mental and physical health. It can help them have more energy, so they can spend more time with you. There are also some nutritional facts that you need to know for the elderly. These facts might be able to help when you are talking to your elderly loved one.

Losing One’s Appetite Isn’t Normal

Has your elderly loved one been losing their appetite? Maybe they haven’t come out and said they don’t have an appetite, but you or their home care services provider notice they aren’t eating well. It is important to know that losing one’s appetite isn’t normal. This isn’t something that just happens as someone ages. There is a cause for it. If you can’t get your elderly loved one to eat, you should have them see their doctor. It could signify a major health issue.

Fewer Calories and Eating Nutritiously

You might think that because your elderly loved one doesn’t need as many calories daily, that they don’t need the same nutrients that you need. This isn’t true. In fact, the elderly may need fewer calories. However, they often need just as much or even more nutrients than younger adults need.

Emotional Health Matters

If your elderly loved one isn’t eating nutritiously, this could be a result of emotional health issues. Your elderly loved one might be feeling depressed, lonely, stressed, or anxious. All of these things could be causing them to not eat enough or to eat unhealthy foods. If you or a home care services provider realize your elderly loved one is suffering from emotional health issues, be sure to try and help them with those things.

Medications

There are many medications that can cause nutritional issues in your elderly loved one. For instance, if your elderly loved one recently started taking a new medication, it may be causing them to have increased hunger or it may be causing them to have a loss of appetite. If your elderly loved one can’t eat healthy on the medications they are taking, you can talk to their doctor about other medication alternatives.

These are some of the nutritional facts that you need to know about the elderly. If your elderly loved one isn’t eating well or they have lost their appetite, you can help them. By figuring out what is causing these issues, you can work with them and their home care services providers to make things better.

Source: https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Gettysburg PA, please talk to us. Our friendly staff can answer all of your questions. In-home Senior Care in Adams and York Counties, PA. Call Today: (717) 698-8258.

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Jessica Ott

Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC

Jessica Ott is the Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC.

A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC is dedicated to providing our clients with a better quality of life through our support services while maintaining their independence in the comfort of their own home.

As a Home Care Agency licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we can provide families with peace of mind, knowing their loved one is in good hands.

We will work with you to prepare a care plan that incorporates your needs, your wishes, and your preferred schedule. Each client is matched with a caregiver who can best meet their individual needs, whether they reside in a house, apartment, condominium, assisted living, or nursing community.