Whether you or elderly care providers are taking care of your loved one, it is important to pay attention to their nutrition. Nutrition is a key aspect of their overall health. Many doctors recommend two main nutritional tips for the elderly. This is to increase their hydration and for them to eat more protein. These are two things you can help your elderly loved one with.
Increasing Hydration
Drinking more water is extremely important. It can help to improve both the physical and mental health state of your elderly loved one. It is important that they are drinking 1 glass of water at every meal and 1 glass of water in between all their meals, as well. This will assure they are going to drink enough water. Water should always be within their reach, so they can drink it easily. If you are on-the-go with your elderly loved one, make sure to bring water with you, so they can drink throughout the day. Have them pay attention to their urine output. It should be lighter which means they are staying hydrated. If it is darker, they are probably more dehydrated and need to be consuming more water. Those who are older than 65 should drink at least 9 glasses of water a day. If they have kidney or heart problems, talk to their doctor about the proper amounts.
Consuming More Protein
Getting more protein is also important to your elderly loved one’s overall health. If they have a tough time chewing up or even swallowing their protein, they may need protein drinks instead. Each meal and snack should have a bit of protein in it. Besides food, other great sources for protein would be yogurt, nutritional supplements, smoothies, and milk. Senior women should be getting around 45 grams of protein a day and senior men should be getting around 60 grams of protein a day. Seniors need more protein than people used to think. Some great foods that have protein in them are tuna, canned chicken, string cheese, and eggs. Protein helps with the immune system to prevent infections.
These are two of the most important nutritional tips for your elderly loved one. If you are the one who is caring for them, it is important to make sure these tips are being implemented. By keeping them hydrated and increasing the amount of protein they are getting in their body each day, you can help to improve their overall health. If you aren’t sure whether they are getting enough water or protein in their diet, track it for 1 week to find out. If they refuse to drink more water or get more protein, talk to their doctor about other ways they can get these things into their diet.
If you or an aging loved one needs Elderly Care in Elk Grove, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services.Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924200/
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