There’s no age limit on a mother’s love for her children. And parents of all ages want above all else to offer protection to their children from concerns, which sometimes may mean masking their own challenges. Furthermore, when family members live far away, it can be hard to really know without a doubt if nutritional needs for elderly parents are being met.
One of the top issues of aging is the decline in meeting nutritional requirements. If you believe your aging loved ones might possibly not be getting the nutrients they need to continue to be healthy and well, the following short evaluation can help uncover possible red flags:
- Has the older person mentioned a loss of appetite, problems with digesting food, or chewing or swallowing difficulties? Has there been a decline in food ingestion over the past several months because of this?
- Has the senior encountered a weight loss over the last few months? Losing weight, particularly for individuals with a more inactive way of life, can suggest malnutrition.
- Does your loved one have trouble with mobility? Being restricted to the home can cause dietary problems, as it is more problematic to get groceries or fix meals.
- Has the older person been under mental stress or suffered from an acute illness in the past couple of months?
- What is the senior’s body mass index (BMI)? A BMI of 18.5 or less might suggest that the person is not eating enough, while a BMI of 30 or higher can suggest obesity.
If you find through answering these questions that nutritional needs for elderly parents or other seniors in your family are not being met, it’s a good idea to consult with the primary care physician. Heaven at Home Senior Care can also help improve health and wellbeing for older adults through services like:
- Preparing meals
- Transportation to doctor appointments
- Light household chores
- Errand-running
- Medication reminders
- And more
Our expert Plano area caregivers are compassionate, background screened and available for as much or as little care as desired. You can get in touch with us online or call our care team at 940-380-0500 to learn more about our senior in home care in Plano and the surrounding area. To see a full list of the areas we serve in Texas, please visit our Service Area page.