As seniors age, their bodies and capacity to digest food change. Healthy eating and good digestion may suffer from several age-related problems, including medications they take, a sedentary lifestyle, and even tooth decay or gum disease. As a result, there is a chance of developing ulcers, diverticulitis, indigestion, and constipation. Ensuring seniors have the proper healthy diet to combat these changes is essential. This is easily done by adding in-home care to provide healthy meal planning and even cooking when needed.
As loved ones consider what assistance seniors need, consider the following ways that digestion can be improved with the help of a supportive team.
Digestion and Hydration Work Together
Few people maintain the necessary hydration levels, which can help improve digestion. Adults in the United States used about 44 ounces of water per day between 2015 and 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control, which is much less than the 64 oz. daily requirement. This statistic is even more critical for seniors, as they tend to lose more water in their bodies with aging. The consequences of not drinking enough fluids can be felt in several ways, including headaches, exhaustion, dry skin, or even a compromised immune system.
Seniors might shy away from drinking water throughout the day due to incontinence issues, or they may simply forget. In-home care providers can assist with gentle reminders and support to ensure seniors feel comfortable getting the needed fluids.
Essential Foods for Better Digestion
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important ways to improve digestion. Seniors might find it difficult as they combat health issues or problems with mobility. Having in-home care helps seniors plan healthy meals and cook or prep foods. This added support motivates seniors to incorporate foods that improve their health.
Along with maintaining a healthy weight, seniors should focus on fiber to improve their digestion. High-fiber options include fresh fruits and vegetables. Loved ones or home care aids can assist seniors on the path to better digestion and health by taking them to a farmers market and walking through the aisles to pick new items to try. This activity broadens seniors’ knowledge of foods and provides them with essential physical activity. Other high-fiber foods to incorporate into a digestion-friendly diet include whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Encourage Seniors to Try New Things
With all the other changes seniors face, changing their diets might be difficult. After all, they’ve probably been eating the same things for most of their life. If seniors aren’t used to using healthy foods or see them as more difficult or expensive, they may fight against the change even more.
In addition to shopping at the local farmers market, researching food co-ops in the area or talking with loved ones about creating a home garden are great ideas. Both options provide benefits beyond healthy eating as seniors may volunteer and gain social interactions at the co-op or get much-needed vitamin C while tending to the garden. Additionally, in-home care professionals can assist by helping maintain seniors’ safety in the garden or transporting them to the co-op.
In-home care can assist seniors in many ways to make the most of each day. From ensuring they eat a healthy diet that aids digestion to helping them remain active throughout the day, they also provide stress relief to loved ones and seniors by supporting safety and socialization.
If you or an aging loved one is considering In-Home Care in Joplin, MO, please contact the caring staff at Adelmo Family Care today at (417) 206-4576
Adelmo Family Care provides exceptional home and facility care for seniors, disabled adults, and their families in Joplin, Webb City, Carthage, Duquesne, Neosho, Carl Junction, Lamar, Newton County, MO, Jasper County, MO, Pittsburg, KS, Riverton, KS, Crawford County, KS, Cherokee County, KS, and surrounding areas.
To provide the safest and most qualified caregivers, John felt it was important to properly screen and train caregivers before they were invited into the homes of the families being care for.No caregiver is introduced to a client before being taught the Adelmo Standard.
Adelmo is German for Noble Protector, a name that projects what Adelmo Family Care strives to be. It is our goal to protect our elderly from having to move somewhere they do not want to go, while remaining safe, secure and independent.
Care is our Product and Independence is our Goal.We are there for you when you need to have some help to continue to live independently, at your direction, in your home. We will work with you to get you as fit as possible so you may become completely independent once again, if at all possible.
We provide compassionate care, a watchful eye and a helping hand to our clients and their families.
We can't wait to meet you!
Adelmo Family Care is a member of the Home Care Association of America, The Senior’s Choice, The Webb City Chamber of Commerce, The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and several local senior committees.
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