As a family caregiver, you can make a big difference in your senior’s efforts to eat a healthier diet. Supporting them in in shopping for their food and preparing their meals and snacks can be instrumental in showing them that healthy food can be accessible and approachable, and they can actually enjoy eating the foods that their body needs to thrive. The healthiest diet truly starts in the grocery store, but it’s the steps you take after returning from grocery shopping that bring the healthy foods to the next level. With just a few simple tasks, you can make it easier for your elderly loved one to eat a healthier diet and keep them on track.
Some things you can do after grocery shopping to help your senior eat a healthier diet include:
- Breakdown fruits and vegetables intended to be eaten raw. By washing and chopping at fruits and vegetables as soon as you get back from the grocery store, you make them accessible for easy, healthy snacks and salads throughout the week. Packaged vegetables such as carrot and celery sticks in individual servings so all your parent needs to do is reach into the refrigerator and take out a bag or container and enjoy
- Put together quick meals that will last for several days in the refrigerator. Overnight oats are a great example. Put oatmeal, milk or plant-based milk, a small amount of nut butter, fruits, sweeteners, and whatever your parent enjoys and oatmeal in two jars, close, and put in the refrigerator. They will be ready to enjoy the next day and can keep for a few days to provide fast and easy breakfast, snacks, or even desserts
- Store meal kits together. If several items go together to make a specific meal, store them together so they’re easy to access and prepare. This way if your senior is looking for a healthy meal to put together, they can see the ingredients that go together and be inspired by them
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the needs of caring for an elderly adult. You love your parent and want what’s best for them, and giving that to them often means reaching out for help. One of the best sources of help available to you as a family caregiver is elderly care. An elderly home care services provider can offer your senior a completely customized set of services specifically designed with them and their individuality in mind. This means you can delegate specific care tasks, take a step back and focus more energy and attention on the other elements of your life, I’d still feel completely confident your parents are giving everything that they need on a daily basis.