Healthy Eating Habits for Seniors

By Jessica Ott | March 10, 2025 | Comments Off on Healthy Eating Habits for Seniors

It’s not uncommon for a physician to tell his senior patients to try to eat healthier to maintain their health and prevent negative health consequences due to poor eating habits. But if your elderly loved one has walked out of her doctor’s office unclear about how to even start to eat healthier (and then stick to those healthy eating patterns), finding a resource such as a home care assistance team might be just what she needs to follow doctor’s orders.

Why Eating Healthy Can Be Difficult for Seniors

Home Care Assistance Gettysburg PA - Healthy Eating Habits for Seniors

Home Care Assistance Gettysburg PA – Healthy Eating Habits for Seniors

Besides a lifetime of building up possible bad eating habits, there are other reasons why your loved one may struggle to incorporate new healthy food choices into her diet.

For many seniors on a budget, a large stumbling block is finances, they are not sure how to allocate their money properly to buy the needed items for a healthier diet. With a home care assistance team helping her shop, she’ll find the bargains she needs while keeping to the doctor’s requirements for a healthier diet.

Another area that causes problems for seniors is the inability to prepare healthier foods. It could be because they don’t have the dexterity to clean and cut up fresh vegetables and meats, or it could be that many recipes are too complicated. Having a kitchen helper like a home care assistance provider, can give your elderly loved one the support she needs to meal prep for a week’s worth of healthy meals.

Four Healthy Eating Habits for Your Elderly Loved One To Try

Oftentimes, the key to implementing a change to a lifelong habit is to make small changes in one area and then gradually add in other healthy changes. For your loved one, she might want to tackle just one of these areas as she strives toward healthier eating and healthier living.

Avoid empty calories. Empty calories may fill your loved one up but they don’t offer the body anything it needs to stay in good health. And when filled up on them, your loved one won’t desire to eat healthier foods. Help her start by eliminating most if not all empty-calorie foods from her home like chips, baked goods, candy, and soda or alcohol.

Add foods packed with body-sustaining nutrients. The empty calorie options are gone so now it’s time to fill in their place with nutritious food that will positively impact her overall health.

Some good choices include:

  • Nuts and seeds
  • Beans
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables of many colors. Try all of the colors of the produce rainbow.
  • Lower-fat versions of dairy products like cheese and milk.
  • Lean meats, seafood, and poultry
  • Whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat bread

Reduce foods high in saturated and trans fats. This may require some food label reading as these types of fats can hide in plain sight. A home care assistance provider who helps with shopping can make sure your loved one chooses the best options when at the grocery store.

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated will help your elderly loved one’s body process the calories she eats more effortlessly as well as prevent her from eating too much at meals.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance Services in Gettysburg PA, please get in touch with 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.

Jessica Ott
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