By Jim Smeaton
When it comes to food when providing senior care, it is important that seniors look at their meal plan like fuel; the food that your elderly loved one eats is what will allow their body to function properly. While a healthy diet cannot guarantee overall wellbeing, it is certain that a body that has access to the right vitamins and nutrients will be better able to maintain a higher degree of health. Surprisingly to some, this idea extends well beyond the physical and into the mental. The home care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, providing Senior Care in Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, explain that, when it comes to keeping cognitive function—and, by extension, memory—as sharp as possible, it is important that elderly individuals stick to a healthy diet.
When it comes to food when providing senior care, it is important that seniors look at their meal plan like fuel; the food that your elderly loved one eats is what will allow their body to function properly. While a healthy diet cannot guarantee overall wellbeing, it is certain that a body that has access to the right vitamins and nutrients will be better able to maintain a higher degree of health. Surprisingly to some, this idea extends well beyond the physical and into the mental. The home care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, providing Senior Care in Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, explain that, when it comes to keeping cognitive function—and, by extension, memory—as sharp as possible, it is important that elderly individuals stick to a healthy diet.
Here are some of the ways in which you can make certain that
your loved one gets the nutrition they need to keep their memories on point:[1]
- Make sure that your senior does not skip meals. It can be quite easy for individuals who do not have home care providers to overlook eating, particularly if they have memory loss, if they are very busy, or if they have a difficult time preparing meals. Skipping meals can deprive the body of the calories, vitamins, and minerals it needs to function properly, and as such it can lead to decreased activity in terms of cognitive function and memory.
- Refrain from completely cutting carbs out of your loved one's diet. Weight gain is a concern for many individuals as they age, so your senior may be watching the carbs that they eat in order to manage their weight. But the truth is that the body needs carbohydrates to function properly, as these foods turn into glucose during the digestion process—and glucose is what fuels the cells in the brain. Instead of cutting carbohydrates completely, help your senior choose complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, instead of processed, simple carbs.
- Don't restrict caloric intake too drastically. While it is true that individuals of all ages need to monitor their consumption of calories, it is also true that they need these calories to fuel their bodies—and to keep the brain running. If too few calories are consumed individuals may experience short-term memory loss.
The elder care professionals at Always Best Care of WesternNC understand
that keeping your loved one's memory sharp is a priority. As such, these senior
care providers encourage you to keep these tips in mind when helping your loved
one create a weekly meal plan.
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