Your senior may find that her appetite diminishes as she ages, which means she’s taking in fewer calories and fewer nutrients. Depending on the health issues she’s facing, she may also have more trouble absorbing nutrients from the foods that she is eating. These facts make it more important than ever that your elderly family member is paying close attention to the nutritional makeup of the meals she’s eating.
Controlling Chronic Health Issues
There’s a lot that goes into managing chronic health conditions, like following doctor’s orders and taking medications properly. But almost every health issue includes a need to pay attention to nutritional intake in order to keep the condition under control. Whether your senior is dealing with diabetes or high blood pressure, malnutrition can make those conditions harder to manage.
Maintaining a Healthy Immune System
You want your senior to stay as healthy as possible and that means that her immune system needs to remain as healthy as possible, too. In order to do that, her body needs the right nutritional balance, full of vitamins, minerals, protein, and more. If your elderly family member isn’t getting the nutrients that she needs, she’s more likely to feel run down and to be more susceptible to germs.
Maintaining Brain Function
Your senior likely wants to keep her brain active, engaged, and healthy. The best way to do that, besides continuing to challenge her brain, is for her to get plenty of nutrients. Healthy fats in particular are something your senior’s brain needs. Fatty fish, walnuts, and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids are an important addition to her diet.
Preserving Bones and Muscles
As your senior ages, she’s more likely to experience both bone loss and muscle loss. Both are a problem in terms of keeping her mobile and keeping her safe from injury. Malnutrition just complicates both of these issues immensely. When she’s eating healthy meals on a regular basis, she’s better able to maintain muscle tone, stay active, and engage in weight-bearing exercise that helps to protect her bone health.
Cooking for herself may not feel as doable as it used to for your senior. That is why home delivered meals for seniors, made to be both delicious and nutritious and delivered directly to your senior, can be the perfect solution. You’ll know that your elderly family member is eating well and that she’s able to conserve her energy as well.
Oxnard Family Circle started phased transition to the center-based services under Department of Public Health and Department of Aging regulations effective 6/1/2021. Oxnard Family Circle offers both services during this transition period: the center-based and the services at the doorsteps.
Considering help for a senior in Ventura County? Learn more about home delivered meals for seniors in Thousand Oaks, CA. Call us! 1-805-385-4180.
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