How to Motivate Your Senior Parent to Eat Healthy

We all know the importance of maintaining a balanced diet, especially during the golden years. However, it can be tricky for older adults to eat healthy, and encouraging your parents to make better eating choices can take time and effort. Age-related changes can occur, like certain medications and changes in smell and taste that affect appetite. As a home care agency, we will share ways you can motivate mom or dad to eat healthily:

• Add foods; not subtract

  Instead of taking away your parent’s favorite food or comfort food, try adding new, healthier foods into the mix instead. Some healthy options include Greek yogurt, whole grains, and omega-boosted eggs. Focus on trying new things and making mealtime more adventurous, instead of cutting out “bad” foods your parent has been eating their whole life.

•  Make meal preparation fun

  Offer to come over and help your parent prepare meals for the week. This may motivate your loved ones to try new healthy foods and even share recipes of their own. Companionship services are also a great way to make mealtimes more social and motivate seniors to try nutritious food instead of just eating whatever is convenient.

• Discuss the benefits of specific foods

  Eating healthy is important with age, especially when it’s a part of post-hospitalization care. To encourage your loved ones to eat healthily, talk about the benefits of certain foods. For instance, talk about how almonds can help control blood sugar or how vitamin C-rich foods can help alleviate joint pain caused by arthritis.

We at Heritage Home Care aim to make your everyday life easier through services like personal care in Scottsdale, Arizona. To learn more, contact us today.