Nutrition is essential for wellness in all stages of life. The elderly, however may experience special dietary restrictions or a need for a more carefully planned diet for overall wellness or to combat disease or illness.

Meal preparation and planning according to the needs of each individual is one of the many benefits provided by quality home care services. If your elderly loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure or other heart health issues, or has experienced trouble digesting as a part of the aging process, nutrition can be a key element to maintaining or improving a comfortable quality of life.

Dietary restrictions aided by quality home care services

Diabetics need not only to avoid refined sugars like those found in sweets and desserts, but must also reduce their intake of natural sugars and avoid complex carbohydrates. When this new diet is significantly different from their previous diet, the new restrictions may seem overwhelming at first, but quality home care services can help to make the adjustment simpler by offering a variety of new recipes or seasonings to help make the transition less difficult.

Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D are helpful in preventing and treating osteoporosis. A variety of dairy products and green, leafy vegetables throughout the day provides ample amounts of these vitamins and minerals.

Reducing fat, salt and calorie intake and increasing the amount of lean protein, fruit and fresh vegetables consumed can combat high blood pressure and other heart health issues. Planning for meals before grocery shopping can help to keep the unwanted ingredients out of the kitchen.

Nutrition is also one of the greatest preventative measures in maintaining a clean bill of health. Healthy foods reduce fat, preserve muscle and encourage healthy cell maintenance. Providers of quality home care services can suggest and prepare meals and snacks rich in nutrients according to the needs of the individual, and avoiding foods which lack nutrition or are especially dangerous to your loved one’s health condition.

Nutritious, well-balanced meals should not be eliminated when grocery shopping and meal preparation become a chore or a hazard for the elderly. Quality home care services give your loved one an opportunity to incorporate their own food preferences into their meals, preserving some feeling of independence.