Thursday, 24 March 2022

Helping Your Elderly Relative Maximise Their Nutrition

Proper nutrition is a must for individuals of all ages, but even more so as we get older. This is because it plays a part in lowering one’s risk of developing certain chronic conditions, in helping one maintain a healthy weight, and in keeping one’s bones and organs strong and functional.

If you are concerned that an elderly loved one is not getting sufficient nutrition, you might be keen to help them by preparing a few delicious, healthy meals that they can freeze and eat as required. Here are some wonderful ideas to use as inspiration…

Omelettes

Eggs contain lots of protein, vitamins, and minerals – plus, they tend to freeze really well. You can pack them with a host of other healthy ingredients, such as peppers, olives, baby spinach, mushrooms, ham, etc. for flavour and a further nutrients boost.

Pasta

You have so many different options when it comes to pasta sauces, so feel free to get creative. Pasta is a great option because you can cook large portions of it and freeze it in batches. It is also chockfull of carbohydrates for optimal energy and is especially good for those seniors who struggle to keep weight on.

Salads

Salads seem simple, but they require a lot of chopping and prep work to put together. While you can’t freeze them, most salads can be kept in the fridge (and remain fresh and crisp) for up to a week in good tupperware. Just be sure to thoroughly dry your lettuce before adding it to the salad – moist lettuce wilts much faster. Place a paper towel on top before storing salads in the fridge to soak up any residual moisture and tell your loved one to stir the mixture up every time they take some out.

A word of caution…

Remember to take the necessary COVID safety precautions when preparing your loved one’s meals to prevent potentially contaminating the food. Wear a mask at all times when cooking and wash your hands thoroughly before getting started.

Also, do not forget that members of the elderly population are especially vulnerable to suffering severe symptoms if they become infected with the virus. Hence the reason why it is important to continue practicing social distancing. The best course of action is to drop off the meals and remind your relative to wash their hands after placing the food into the fridge or freezer.

If you do not have the time to assist your elderly relative with meal preparation, now might be a good time to consider in-home assistance for seniors.

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