Arthritis and other age-related challenges can limit mobility, making cooking difficult or daunting. For some seniors, their nutrition diminishes as they begin to opt for snack foods that are easier to prepare. If your senior loved one has physical or cognitive challenges that make cooking difficult, check out a few healthy and simple meals to prepare.
Prepared Vegetables & Fruits
One way to ensure your loved one eats well is to stock up on fruits and vegetables. Prepackaged and precut vegetables are a good option because they don’t require using a knife to chop the veggies into bite-size pieces. Plus, these ready-to-eat vegetables are easy for seniors with mobility challenges to throw in a bowl for a quick salad or dip in hummus or ranch dressing for a healthy snack. Similarly, precut seasonal fruits, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, make sweet and healthy snacks or desserts without requiring your loved one to do any significant maneuvering.
Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional home care. Home Care Assistance is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Easy Protein
For some seniors with mobility challenges, using the stove can be a dangerous task without the assistance of a family member or other caregiver. Without the use of a stove, it can be difficult for seniors to make dishes with enough protein. To help your loved one get a sufficient amount of this nutrient, try purchasing tuna in easy-open pouches. The tuna can be added to a salad or eaten on crackers as a snack. You might also consider getting your loved one some Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, which offer high amounts of protein and nutrients like vitamin D as well as simple packaging your loved one can easily open.
Dry Soups
Opening soup cans can be difficult for seniors with Parkinson’s disease or other mobility challenges that lead to hand tremors. Instead, try looking for dried soups in easy-to-open packages or liquid soups that come in boxes. These options are safer, tend to have lower sodium than their canned counterparts, and are just as tasty. Plus, these kinds of soup are fast, only requiring a couple of minutes in the microwave before serving.
Some seniors need help preparing nutritious meals. If your aging loved one needs occasional help with bathing, grooming, cooking, or other basic household tasks, or if you need time to attend to important personal matters, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of live-in and respite care. Lincoln seniors can maintain their independence while living at home with the help of our reliable respite caregivers.
Fruit & Cheese Kabobs
To make fruit and cheese kabobs, thread thick slices of low-fat cheese, apples, and pears onto a kabob skewer. Both pears and apples are wonderful sources of dietary fiber. Getting enough fiber can help older adults maintain bowel health, lower their cholesterol levels, and control their blood sugar levels. Both fruits are also rich in vitamin A, which acts as a potent antioxidant that can benefit a senior’s bone and eye health.
Spinach Salad
To create spinach salad, top a bowl of spinach with chopped antioxidant-rich tomatoes and a hard-boiled egg. The salad contains an abundant amount of potassium, which can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.
Eating nutritious foods can boost your loved one’s health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life. If your elderly loved one needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of Lincoln senior care. Our caregivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments and social events, nutritious meal preparation, assistance with daily exercise, and help with everyday tasks like bathing, grooming, and light housekeeping. To learn about our high-quality in-home care services, give us a call at (916) 226-3737 today.