As a family caregiver you know how important it is to make sure that your elderly parent has the nutrition that they need to keep their body functioning and thriving. This often means making adjustments to their diet to get them more of the nutrients that they need and cut out some of what they do not need. If your elderly parent has relied on a diet that is less-than-healthy or they simply need to increase the healthy choices that they make, starting small can make a tremendous difference.
June is National Fruit and Veggies Month.
This is the ideal opportunity for you to find ways to slip more of these healthy options into your parent’s diet, helping them to get more vitamins, minerals, and fiber, as well as helping to cut fat, calories, and cholesterol by providing more satisfaction in everything that they eat.
While many people think of salads and sides of hot vegetables at lunch and dinner when they think of veggies, and simple garnishes of fruit when it comes to getting these foods into their diet, these are not the only way that your parent can get more of these important foods. Starting the day with fruits and vegetables is a fantastic way to give them the boost that they need and start the day with healthy, beneficial nutrition.
Try some of these simple and delicious ways to boost your parent’s breakfast:
- Quiche. Omelets are a fabulous way to get veggies into breakfast, but whipping up a quiche can make it easier to feed a crowd, enabling you to make breakfast for your entire family easily. Simply add onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and other vegetables, as well as a sprinkle of cheese and meat if desired, to beaten eggs, add to a pie crust, and bake. You can easily prepare this the night before and reheat it for breakfast.
- Breakfast burrito. For a meal that is satisfying and will give your elderly parent what they need to fuel them through even a challenging day, try a simple breakfast burrito. Add scrambled eggs, wilted spinach, onions, mushrooms, potatoes sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, and cheese to a tortilla and top with salsa.
- Protein-packed smoothie. Protein is essential for energy, wound healing, immune system, tissue rebuilding, and more. Getting your parent’s day started with protein will help them to feel satisfied, keep their energy consistent, and help to ward off cravings. Try blending tofu or Greek yogurt, milk or milk alternative, protein powder, ground flaxseed, and your parent’s favorite fruit until smooth. For added nutrition, add powdered greens or even a handful of spinach.
Starting senior care for your elderly loved one can be one of the best decisions that you can make for them throughout the course of your caregiving journey with them. Having a senior home care services provider in the home with your parent is a fantastic way to help ensure that they are able to achieve and maintain the highest quality of life possible as they age in place. This means not only addressing their individual needs, challenges, and limitations, but also encouraging them to pursue a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, independent, and fulfilling as possible throughout their later years. A senior care provider can accomplish this by designing a highly personalized set of services tailored to your parent’s needs, personality, preferences, and goals so that they are able to stay safe, healthy, comfortable, and happy in this new chapter in their lives. When it comes to helping them maintain their best health through a balanced diet, this care provider can provide safe and reliable transportation to the grocery store to help them stock their kitchen with the right foods, research recipes with them, and even help them to prepare meals and snacks that will work with their personal preferences as well as give them the nutrition that their body needs to thrive.