What is the Best Diet for Keeping Seniors Healthy?
Senior Care in Berkeley Heights NJ: What is the Best Diet for Keeping Seniors Healthy?
One of the most important things you can do to keep the people you love living a long and happy life is to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition. With seniors, this is especially important, as our dietary needs change as we age.
If you or your senior care aide are looking for ways to help the senior in your life follow a more healthy diet plan, take a look at these tips. They are easy to follow, and easy to adapt into your aging loved one’s diet (and maybe even yours!).
- Lean protein – As people age, they need fewer calories in order to create energy, but they need more lean protein. Lean protein like lean meats, chicken, legumes, and eggs helps to strengthen the muscles and immune system, keeping the body healthier and stronger for longer.
- Iron – Seniors have a tendency to become weak or anemic if they don’t get enough iron. Red meats are great for this, as they are a good source of iron. If your senior can’t eat meat, consider asking your doctor about iron supplements.
- Fewer calories – As mentioned above, the human body needs fewer calories as we get older. While we still need calories for energy, it is not a good idea to go overboard with the junk food and other things with a high calorie count, because this can lead to unhealthy weight gain and bad health.
- Low-fat milk (and other products) – If your loved one suffers from high cholesterol, their diet should involve a lot of lo-fat or non-fat options. Milk and other milk products all have a low or non-fat option, and these options are much better for maintaining a healthy weight and cholesterol level.
- Choose a diet they can stick to – If you choose a diet for your senior that involves depriving them of lots of things and making them eat things they don’t like, this diet will not succeed. They won’t stick with it, because it is too much pressure, and it is too big of a shift from the diet they have been using for years. If you want to implement some dietary changes, do it gradually, and do things in a way that fits in with the meal and lifestyle that the senior already has.
- Consistency – While a few “cheat days” every now and then are fine, for the most part, it is important to be consistent with the diet, so that your senior gets the proper nutrition every day, not just when you think of it. Try to decide on some healthy options and implement them at every meal, so that you can be sure that the diet plan has the best effect.
When you or your senior care aide are preparing meals for your senior, keep these things in mind. But also keep in mind that while fruit and lean protein and all of those things are essential, a few cookies or a slice of cake every now and then never hurt anyone either. The best way to stay on track with a healthy diet is to make it fun and light, so that it will be less of a chore.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional senior care in Berkeley Heights, NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.
Source: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2015/01/21/best-diets-for-seniors
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