For seniors who wish to age in place in the comfort of their homes, it’s imperative that they maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet. Many seniors have unique nutritional requirements due to conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, which makes meal preparation important in maintaining optimal health.
With home care, you can have peace of mind knowing that someone can come to your loved one’s home and provide them with healthy and balanced meals. Choice Homecare staff can prepare meals that are healthy and pleasing for your loved ones. For those who are assisting their loved ones with their meals, proper meal preparation can be a huge benefit.
Here are six reasons why proper meal preparation matters.
Prevention of nutritional deficiencies
Nutritional requirements vary from person to person. Often, there may be strict guidelines in combination with medications or health challenges that they face. Proper meal preparation ensures they are getting the nutritional requirements that they need. Speaking of prevention – always remember to keep up your loved one’s dental visits!
It’s safer
For seniors, the task of preparing their own meals can be difficult as they age. Cutting up food, dealing with a hot pan, or manipulating complex culinary items can be dangerous if they have deteriorating motor functions or cognitive abilities. Having a homecare provider or a family member to take care of meals for them can be safer and easier.
Portion control
Many seniors caring for themselves without a live-in companion, partner, or visiting caregiver tend not to watch how much or how little nutrition they are getting. Portion sizes can be erratic resulting from a sudden shift to a solitary lifestyle (such as when a partner passes on) or other factors such as dementia or other illnesses. Proper meal preparation by a family member or certified care specialist can protect them from encountering threats to their health resulting from over- or under-compensating for portions.
Creation of routines
When meals are structured and routine, it can help your loved one experience a number of benefits. They will encounter reduced anxiety, a better and healthier sleep cycle, and an increased feeling of being adequately protected. Another benefit is ensuring medication can be taken with adequate meals. With dishes prepped beforehand and the elimination of the need for a loved one to wait, dangers such as dropping blood sugar can be avoided. Additionally, your loved one can enjoy a meal at the same time every day.
Allow seniors to remain at home
Many seniors want to remain in their home to maintain their lifestyle, independence, and dignity. Meal preparation helps seniors who need help in this aspect maintain independence while still ensuring that they continue with a healthy lifestyle.
Greater peace of mind
By having your ageing parent’s meals taken care of, you can gain peace of mind knowing that they are getting all the necessary supplements and dietary requirements. You don’t have to stress or worry about them carrying out their everyday life at home alone because a caregiver can ensure that their needs are adequately met safely.
If you are concerned about an aging loved one getting the appropriate and necessary number of properly portioned nutritional meals throughout the day, Choice Homecare can help. Our services don’t just take care of your loved one’s medical needs – we also assist with home care needs such as meal preparation. Give us a call at 613-907-3191 to learn more about how we can help.