As our parents and other loved ones start to get older, it’s normal that we start to worry about them more. We worry about their mobility, how isolated they might be, their mental health, and their ability to look after themselves. We worry more if they live alone and are always on the lookout for signs of cognitive decline, malnutrition, and illness, all of which become common in older people. Malnutrition can have a variety of causes but it’s becoming more common all of the time. If you’ve noticed signs of malnutrition, or it’s something that you are worried about, here’s a look at some of the ways that you can help your loved one to avoid it.
Look for the Cause
There are a variety of reasons why your loved one might be at risk of malnutrition. Often, the causes of weight loss and malnutrition in the elderly also have other symptoms and can become dangerous if left untreated. This means that it’s important not to just help them to eat more, but also to look for any underlying cause that they might need help with.
If they are having swallowing difficulties, products like Simply Thick honey can be incredibly beneficial. But sometimes there will be other symptoms of cognitive decline or mobility issues that make cooking difficult. Speak to a doctor about any symptoms that you’ve noticed and encourage your loved one to seek help.
Eat Together
Social eating is a wonderful thing. It’s fun, a great way to spend time with people that we love, and a brilliant way to encourage healthy relationships with food. Eating with your older loved ones will encourage them to eat more, help them to enjoy eating again, and it will give you a chance to spot any difficulties that they may be having.
If they live alone, they might have lost the will to cook for themselves, so as well as eating out together, invite them into your home, and spend time with them in their house cooking and eating together.
Help with Shopping
Cooking and eating aren’t the only things that get harder as we get older. If your loved one’s cupboards are bare, shopping might be a bigger issue. Visit the shops with them, set them up with and teach them to use online shopping, and if you are worried that money is an issue, have an honest conversation with them about how they can get help.
Encourage Physical Activity
It’s normal for our appetites to change as we get older, and most seniors have less of an appetite than when they were younger. This can be a sign of a health issue or depression, but it can also be simply because their bodies need less fuel. If they used to work on their feet, have a thriving social life, and exercise regularly, they will no longer need the same calories to live. But when we eat less, it’s harder to get the nutrients that we need from our diet.
Encourage physical activity like walking, gardening, and classes for seniors to help boost their appetites and mood.
If you are worried that your older loved one is becoming malnourished, don’t panic. Speak to them about how you can help, and make sure you get advice from a doctor.