If you have noticed that your senior parent isn’t eating as much as they should you may need to change the meals that you make for them. As seniors get older changes in taste, the side effects of medications, and dental problems or dentures can make it difficult for them to eat. If you have tried making the foods that your mom or dad used to love but now they turn them down, it’s time to try some tricks to make food easier for them to eat. If your senior parent has home care services, talk to their home care provider about changing their meals to make them easier to eat.
That doesn’t mean that you must puree or liquify all their food. There are lots of things that you can do to make regular food easier for seniors to eat. If your senior mom or dad doesn’t have home care, now is the time to get home care. A home care provider can take the time to make meals that your senior mom or dad can eat and enjoy every day.
A senior’s care provider can use tricks like these to make food easier for your mom or dad to eat:
Cook Vegetables Until Soft
Vegetables can be very difficult for seniors to eat. Even when they’re cut up raw vegetables can be extremely hard to chew. Steam, roast, or boil vegetables until they’re tender enough to be easily mashed with a fork. This makes them easier to chew and digest.
Choose Ground or Minced Meats
Your senior mom or dad may have trouble eating large hunks of meat. Cutting their meat into tiny pieces may be difficult too, if they have poor dexterity or grip strength. Instead of serving whole cuts of meat, use ground or minced versions. They’re easier to chew and can be used in a variety of dishes like meatloaf, meatballs, or casseroles. You can also serve pulled meats like pulled chicken or pulled pork. Cooking meat in the crockpot can also make it easy to pull off the bone and shred.
Cut Food into Smaller Pieces
Cutting food into bite-sized pieces makes it easier to chew and reduces the effort required to break it down. But this can be embarrassing for your senior mom or dad. So, if you’re going to cut their food into tiny pieces for them, do it to your food too. Then you’re both eating the same way and it will be less awkward.
Use Different Cooking Methods
Cook the meats and vegetables that your mom or dad likes but using moist methods like braising, stewing, or slow cooking will allow them to eat the foods they like. These cooking methods help retain moisture and make the food more tender.
Add Sauces and Gravies
Adding sauces, gravies, or broth to dishes can help moisten food, making it easier to chew and swallow. It also adds flavor and variety. Just make sure the sauces and gravies aren’t packed with sugar and fat. Making your sauces and gravies is better than using pre-made versions.
Serve Soft Grains
Choose grains like oatmeal, quinoa, or couscous that are naturally soft or can be cooked to a softer texture. Avoid harder grains like whole-grain bread or rice unless they’re thoroughly cooked. If you’re serving pasta, make sure it’s cooked all the way through and is very tender. Don’t serve it al dente.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services near Ridgefield CT, please call and talk to our friendly and dedicated staff. (203) 744-8380
Home Care Advantage provides quality Non-Medical Home Care for seniors and families in Danbury, Bethel, Easton, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Southbury, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and surrounding areas.
With over 25 years of healthcare experience working with seniors, our model and approach to non-medical home care services are straightforward, providing you with the compassionate care you deserve. Providing care from the heart is what we are all about; we proactively work with you and your family to develop a care plan designed to meet your specific need for assistance and budget.
In addition to having an extensive work background in healthcare, my recent educational experience allowed me to earn my Doctorate Degree in public healthcare. This achievement enhanced my knowledge of the ever-evolving healthcare delivery system and heightened my awareness that you cannot go it alone to get the best outcome. Additionally, I have seen how some of my family members struggled and were overwhelmed with ensuring that their parents were safe and their needs were met. They did not know who to trust or where to turn for reliable and affordable help. I have made it our mission to be part of the solution allowing seniors to remain independent and be treated with the respect they deserve.
We are committed to providing excellent care for our clients, just as we would care for members of our own families. Please be assured that I will use my knowledge and background to protect and be a trusted resource for seniors and their families.
You can be confident that our caregivers are carefully screened, dependable, and selectively chosen to meet the specific needs of our clients. They are experienced and highly trained to provide excellent quality care and follow a strict professional code of conduct and ethics.
Our caregivers are competitively paid directly by our agency; there is no additional charge to you. Home Care Advantage files Social Security/Medicare, Federal and State Withholding Tax, and Unemployment Insurance for our employees. Workers’ compensation insurance and a fidelity bond cover the caregivers and supervisory staff.
Our caregivers are here for you and will work hard to assist you with your specific needs in the comfort of your own home. It is said that “Home is where the heart is.” Let Home Care Advantage provide care that will enrich your life and help you maintain an independent lifestyle in the comfort of your own home, “where you want to be.” Call us now! We look forward to working with you and your family.
Dr. Beverly J. Ruekberg, DHP, MPH, MA, Ed.
President/Geriatric Care Manager
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