6 Ways To Get Seniors With No Appetite To Eat
Introduction
Senior citizens’ diets are constantly changing after years of living. With taste fading, it can be difficult to try new foods that will entice them, like salads or even vegetables. This article will detail six strategies to help senior citizens eat food that can help maintain health and quality of life. Senior’s diets are constantly changing after the years of living. With taste fading, it can be difficult to try new foods that will entice them, like salads or even vegetables. This article will detail six strategies to help senior citizens eat food that can help maintain health and quality of life.
Why Do Seniors Lose Appetite To Eat?
There are very many reasons why older adults lose their appetite to eat. The first and foremost reason is as a result of aging as time passes by, the levels of hunger hormones involved in appetite change. This means that body becomes less sensitive to its internal hunger state. Another one is the fact that, with aging, changing physiological signals cause a loss of appetite. For example, if a person’s senses were completely healthy, they would be able to see what is happening around them and take appropriate actions to alleviate hunger. However, as older individual ages, his/her eyesight deteriorates and this causes a decrease in awareness of what is going on around them.
Why Should We Get Seniors To Eat Even If They Have Appetite Loss?
Losing appetite can be a serious concern for seniors. It is known that appetite is very closely linked to the nutritional status of someone’s body, therefore it becomes even more important to get senior citizens to eat. Studies show that people who are obese are unable to enjoy their food as much as they did before. This means that the key nutritional outcomes in some years may be reduced by about 15% in comparison with people who are fit and slim. The same research also shows that the amount of energy spent on food preparation has reduced by some 40% for women and around 26% for men. This means that there will be less money left for what would have been bought on their own under normal conditions.
6 Ways To Get Seniors With No Appetite To Eat
1. Have Them Make The Most Of Leftovers
Many older people like to make fresh meals every day. For those who have trouble chewing or are not able to eat much, this can be a hassle. Prepare leftovers that are simple but delicious. Meatloaf is a classic for this purpose, as it can be frozen in individual servings and reheated in the microwave when needed. Other simple foods with loads of taste include peanut butter on toast or chicken soup made in big batches with vegetables added at the last minute so they don’t lose their nutrients during cooking.
2. Give Them Nutritious Meals To Make
This can be as simple as providing them with snacks that are nutritious, like low-fat peanut butter and crackers. Some people will eat more if they are rewarded with a nice healthy snack. When baking cookies, put some raisins or other strengthening agents inside instead of frosting the cookies with sweet food coloring powders. Others will appreciate a chicken or fish breast prepared in any way you can imagine. It may not be pretty, but they will eat it!
3. Get Them Involved In Food Preparation
There are many senior citizens who enjoy making meals rather than eating them. If you know someone like this, get them to help out by chopping vegetables or helping to prepare meals. This will make it more fun for them and give them something to occupy their time with. If you can’t get them to help, perhaps let them pick out the menu for the week; they will feel like they are involved anyway.
4. Get Them Involved In Meal Preparation
Another way to get seniors involved in food preparation is by hooking up a television or computer game that is based on cooking shows. The game might be simple, but it could bring back some of their childhood memories and give them something fun to do instead of just sitting around watching TV all day.
5. Give Them A Variety Of Foods
It is important to provide a variety of foods that are healthy and enjoyable. In other words, it is not enough to just give them regular boring food all the time. Let them try different things, even if you have to make them from your own personal recipe to get them interested in a new flavor or dish. You can try healthier recipes to make healthier versions of their favorite foods. Try making mashed potatoes without the butter and milk, or chicken-flavored rice instead of chicken leg quarters.
6. Be Their Friend
After all these years, your senior citizen still cares about you, so be sure not to take advantage of that fact. For instance, if they do something in the kitchen and then ask you to help out again, don’t be stingy with that help. They may need help cleaning or making beds, and that is okay. Show them you care by providing the comfort and reassurance they need to stay in good health.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, there are many solid reasons that elderly people lose their appetite to eat. One of the main reasons is that their taste buds start to change as they mature, which affects their ability to taste certain flavors. Another reason is that age can make you less aware of your surroundings and what’s going on around you. This is why it’s important to encourage them to eat until they are full. You can do this by giving them more interesting meals or by making sure their food is tasty enough. Very often, people will lose weight if they are forced to eat foods that they don’t like simply because it’s their daily routine.