Along with exercise, a balanced diet is the key to healthy and fulfilling retirement living. If a senior relative isn’t eating right, it's important to step in and help them obtain the daily nutrients they need. Try the following strategies to encourage your loved one enjoy a nutrient-rich diet.

How to Improve a Senior Loved One’s Diet

1. Stick With Smaller Portions

As older adults age, their appetites tend to decline. For this reason, big meals can feel overwhelming and discourage many seniors from eating. Smaller portions may solve this issue. 

Keep in mind that smaller portions mean you need to pack enough nutrients into a more condensed meal. To fulfill their nutritional needs, offer a diverse but manageable array of fruits, leafy greens, whole grains, proteins, and low-fat dairy or fortified dairy-free substitutes. Cutting larger foods into bite-sized pieces can also make them more appealing.

2. Consider Their Food Preferences

Your loved one is much less likely to eat food they don’t like. Rather than trying to convince them, take note of their preferences. Discuss their favorite and least favorite foods and create a list to consult when meal planning. 

For example, some people dislike beef because of how difficult it is to chew.

3. Try Supplementing Nutrition With Drinks

If your loved one isn’t getting their daily nutrients from food, beverages can sometimes be used to supplement their needs. There are many nutritional drinks packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals that you can get from the store. You can also make smoothies with fresh fruit, yogurt, and veggies. Make sure to serve these drinks as snacks, as they should not replace meals.

4. Offer Healthy Alternatives

Everyone has their favorite snack, but, unfortunately, they aren’t always the healthiest choice. If your senior loved one has some unhealthy snacking habits, try to offer nutritious alternatives as they transition into retirement living. For example, nuts, seeds, and seaweed snacks can be excellent replacements for chips, and protein bars can satisfy chocolate cravings.
 

If your loved one would benefit from a welcoming community that promotes a healthy, active lifestyle, reach out to Lakeview Christian Home. We are located in Carlsbad, NM, and offer a variety of retirement living solutions to serve the needs of seniors. From physical therapy and home health care to skilled nursing and hospice care, we go above and beyond to treat seniors with respect and dignity so that they may age comfortably. Call (575) 885-3161 or visit our website to learn more about independent living options.