January 14th, 2016

4 Ways to Help Your Elderly Loved One Eat Right

Home Care in Deerfield, IL

When your loved one doesn't want to cook anymore or, worse still, isn't excited about eating, it can seem daunting trying to figure out how to make sure that she has the right foods available to her. There are a variety of ways that you can provide home-cooked meals for your elderly loved one that fit within your schedule and your budget.

Cook the Food Yourself
If you have the time, then it's always a good idea to make your loved one's meals yourself. That way you know exactly what's in her food and what she's eating. For some family caregivers, it's not feasible to make meals every day personally. One way around this is to set aside one day a week to cook and then store the food in the refrigerator. If this doesn't fit into your schedule, there are other options, though.

Look for Local Meal Providers
Most communities have a meal service of some sort for senior citizens. Look into what the requirements are and see if your elderly loved one qualifies for the service. If she does, then a volunteer brings a meal to her home for her. Requirements for these types of programs do vary, so it's a good idea to do some research.

Subscribe to a Meal Delivery Service
Another option is to subscribe to a meal delivery service for your elderly loved one. This is especially helpful if your loved one still enjoys cooking but either doesn't like grocery shopping or isn't able to get to the store as often as she likes. These subscription services usually have a set menu for the month and your loved one can pick and choose. Then the ingredients come to your loved one's home, complete with recipes.

Hire Elder Care Providers Who Can Cook for Your Loved One
You can also hire home care providers who cook as part of the other services that they provide for your loved one. Hiring providers who can also cook for your loved one helps you to have the control over the ingredients that you want while also offering your loved one home-cooked meals every day.

Making sure that your elderly loved one has the right foods to eat is a challenge, but it's one that you can overcome with a variety of resources.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Deerfield, IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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