Does Your Senior Need Help with Eating?

By Andy Niska | August 17, 2017 |

“Activities of daily living” refers to the tasks that people need to do on a daily basis to maintain their health and functioning. For elderly adults who are struggling with challenges and limitations that prevent them from completing these tasks successfully, the assistance that they can receive is critical to helping them to overcome these challenges so that they can enjoy a healthier, safer, and more fulfilling lifestyle as they age in place. One particularly pressing ADL that some seniors struggle with is eating.

Caregiver in Spokane WA: Does Your Senior Need Help with Eating?

Getting proper nutrition is a critical part of protecting your loved one’s health and well-being. For many seniors, however, physical, health, and cognitive challenges could make it more difficult for them to handle the mechanics of eating or to eat the foods that they need on a regular basis. Recognizing this allows you to make changes in their care routine that can support your parent’s eating and ensure that they get the types of foods that they need.

Some indications that your elderly loved one might need help with eating include:

Weight loss. If your parent has not indicated that they want to lose weight or their weight had stayed relatively stable for a considerable length of time and is suddenly decreasing, it might be an indication that they are struggling with eating. They might not be getting the nutrition that they need and could be at risk of malnourishment and health complications.
Dental pain. Dental pain, weak or missing teeth, and other related issues can make it extremely difficult for your parent to eat properly. They might have to limit the number of foods that they eat to only ones that are easy for them, which can eliminate a wide variety of healthy options. If your parent has been complaining of dental pain or has recently undergone a dental procedure, talk to them about their eating and ensure that they are not struggling.
Swallowing problems. Several health issues, both physical and cognitive, can contribute to difficulties with swallowing. This can make eating not only difficult, but potentially dangerous as well. If your parent has been having trouble swallowing, which might cause them to produce extra saliva or seem to concentrate hard on swallowing throughout the day when speaking, pay close attention to them while they are eating and notice if they are having difficulty. This might indicate the need to change their diet or their eating approach to reduce risk and improve nutrition.

If you have noticed that your aging parent has needs that you are not able to handle confidently, or you simply feel that they would benefit from additional support and assistance, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting care for them. Having a home care provider in the home with your parent is an exceptional way to fill any care gaps that might exist in the efforts that you provide, as well as to simply enhance your senior’s life with more support, more companionship, more activity, and greater independence. This can include helping them to find the foods that are right for their needs and their preferences, assisting with meal and snack preparation, and helping with eating so that your parent can get the nutrition that they need safely and efficiently. For them, this means the quality of life that they desire and deserve throughout their later years. For you as their family caregiver, it means having peace of mind knowing that whether you are able to be with them at all times or not, and regardless of your own personal limitations and challenges, your senior is getting everything that they need to stay happy, healthy, safe, and comfortable as they age in place.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Spokane, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

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Andy Niska

Owner at Love In Home Senior Care

Andy has over 20+ years experience in the medical community and has a true compassion for seniors. With a degree in Health Care Administration, he developed a background in a variety of health care services that only comes from first hand experience. While working as a manager of a large clinic and as an account executive for medical suppliers. Andy has built valuable relationships with the medical community.

His role in Love In Home Senior Care is to educate people on what care choice is the best fit for the senior and their family while attempting to make this decision as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.

This decision making process should be smooth and stress free for everyone, including all family members and their loved ones. Having access to people with experience (like the team at Love In Home Senior Care) to assist you along the way can help this process. With an extensive background in health care, Andy has the experience needed to guide and direct your loved one to the choice that is the best fit.