Encouraging Senior Care Nutrition
If one of your loved ones has recently started living in a senior care facility, then you are likely quite concerned about their overall health and well being. Health concerns often include nutrition, and thankfully there are a few ways that you can make sure that your family member is getting the nutrition they need. Keep reading to learn how.
Speak With the Nutritionist
Each nursing home, assisted living facility, and senior care center has its own nutritionist who ensures that residents are getting the calories and nutrients that they need. Many seniors have special diets that include low salt and easily digestible varieties, while others are able to enjoy few or no limitations on the foods they consume. Also, a nutritionist will try to take the wants and desires of the resident into account when deciding on meal choices.
While nutritionists do work diligently to ensure good nutrition, some issues are not always met. This can happen if your loved one does not speak up about desires or if a specific nutritional need is overlooked. For example, ethnic food desires can sometimes be overlooked if the nutritionist and staff are culturally unaware or if ethnicity is unknown.
Make sure to speak with staff to make them aware of potential issues or concerns. Also, you may need to speak up about favorite foods and undesired ones if your loved one is too polite to speak their mind. These types of desires can be placed in the care plan or chart so they can be followed more closely.
Ask About Eating Arrangements
Seniors often have a wide variety of choices when it comes to where they eat. Some people choose to eat on their own in their own rooms, but this can lead to isolation and depression. This can, in turn, reduce the appetite and turn mealtime into an unpleasant experience. If your loved one is eating alone, explore the possibility of your family member eating in either the main facility dining area or the separate space on the wing or floor.
You also have the option of coming in to eat with your loved one, and if there are no dietary restrictions, you can likely bring food in for your family member. You can take your loved one to local restaurants as well on occasion and you may even be able to order pizzas and other takeout as a special treat.
If you want to know more about senior care facilities and the types of things that can be done to encourage good nutrition, speak with a reputable facility, like Americana Senior Care.