Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is an important part of health, well-being, and quality of life for all people. This does not change with age, and in fact as people get older, the nutrition that they give their body can become even more important. If your aging parent is dealing with health problems and challenges, what they eat can make a tremendous difference in how they are able to manage their health problems and the ongoing health and well-being they can maintain. Unfortunately, many elderly adults struggle with challenges and limitations that make it harder for them to get the nutrition that they need on a regular basis. As their family caregiver, you can help your parents to get better nutrition by addressing the issues that they face and a supporting new routines. One way that you can do this is through more accessible kitchen organization.

Use these tips to use kitchen organization to encourage your aging parent to get better nutrition throughout their later years:

• Avoid the upper shelves. These can be too difficult for your parent to access safely, and they might resort to climbing or reaching in order to get to the food’s there, which can result in falls and other accidents. Use the shelves to store excess dishes, kitchen gadgets, and other items that are not needed on a regular basis.
• Don’t shy away from storing items on the counters. Though your parent might have always insisted on keeping a pristine kitchen, keeping a few items out can make them easier to get to. A jar with healthy granola bars, a bowl of fruit, or a package of protein shakes sitting off to the side won’t get in the way and will help your parent to access healthy snacks more easily.
• Keep foods that can be served together stored together. Make it easier for your parent to prepare healthy meals by storing components of the meals together. For example, keep a jar of pasta sauce next to a box of whole grain pasta and a container of grated cheese. This allows them to quickly and easily access everything that they need for faster meal preparation.
• Label cabinets and drawers. If you are aging parent suffers from cognitive functioning decline, they might have difficulty remembering where items are kept in the kitchen. Help them to continue navigating the space as much as possible by labeling where everything is. Use laminated paper taped to the front of the cabinet to list items or even to display pictures of items, and a label maker to label individual drawers and shelves.

Starting elderly care for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions that you can make for them if you want to encourage their highest quality of life as they age in place. An elderly home care services provider can step in to fill care gaps, provide additional companionship and support, and help your parent to live a lifestyle that is as fulfilling, engaged, and independent as they age in place. These services can include everything from safe and reliable transportation, assistance with tasks such as running errands, physical support to assist with mobility issues, help with keeping the home clean, personal care tasks, and more. As their family caregiver this can give you a tremendous sense of peace of mind knowing that your loved one is in good hands both when you are with them and when you are not.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Leesburg, VA, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hands today. (703) 982-0050.