There is an important saying- ‘You are what you eat.’ Having the right food with proper nutrition is very much imperative for elderly people. With age, the digestive system and metabolic capacity of the human body reduce drastically. This leads to health issues such as indigestion, irritable bowel movement, and constipation. Often in elder care at home, nurses and caregivers forget to understand the importance of diet and nutrition.
Every elderly person has a different set of health issues. To recover from them, only medicine and exercise will not suffice. The nutritional and dietary requirements of the body have to be fulfilled. Without consuming the right food and nutritional elements, the body will not have the strength to function or heal from any health problems.
Elder care services operating at home need to have expert professionals who understand and can provide specialised dietary and nutritional care to the senior people.
Geriatric health researchers have done surveys that tell us that senior people suffering from cardiac diseases or diabetes need more specialised nutritional care. Without the right and efficient dietary care, elderly people feel physically weak.
The diet and the nutritional care have a direct connection with both the physical and mental health of the elderly person. The right types of food and nutrition help the body to stay active even in old age. It also helps in releasing hormones that boost the mood and keep the mind agile.
In many households in India, it is domestic help or cook who prepares the meals for the elderly person. They do not have the expertise or knowledge to understand the specialised dietary or nutritional needs. Sometimes, they forget to cook the meals in a timely manner or monitor the quantity of ingredients. These factors can have serious implications on the health of elderly people by complicating their ailments even further.
Anvayaa understands the specialised dietary and nutritional requirements of elderly people. It has a network of expert nutritionists and domestic cooks as a part of its elder care services operating in both tier 1 and metro cities such as Vishakhapatnam, Coimbatore, Mumbai, and Chennai.
Elder care at home is not complete without dietary and nutritional care. Hence, Anvayaa offers different types of specialised nutritional care as per the requirement of the elderly person. The nutritionists and cooks follow all the instructions set by the health care provider. They also understand the quality and quantity of ingredients that will improve the health of the elderly person while ensuring that the meals are prepared in a disciplined manner to coordinate with the time of consuming medicines.
Here are the various types of dietary and nutritional care services available for the elderly people
1.Post-operative diet and nutrition
After any major surgery, the body of an elderly person is extremely weak. They need special meals that are easy to digest and give them the energy to recover.
Nurses providing elder care at home must coordinate with physiotherapists and doctors to understand the nutritional and dietary needs after surgery. The meals prepared should be given at a proper time before taking prescribed medications.
Depending on the type of surgery, it is suggested that elderly people must have food items that are not oily or spicy. It should be fibrous and enriched with vitamin c, minerals, iron, and calcium. Meals having these nutrients would help to combat fatigue, reduce constipation, and provide strength to the bones and muscles.
Anvayaa’s post-operative elderly care services at home operating in Vishakhapatnam, Coimbatore, and Chennai ensure that the nutritional needs of the elderly person are prioritised with utmost care.
2.Nutrition and Diet For Dementia Patients
Elder care services at home also include catering to the dietary needs of the patients with cognitive impairments such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Elderly people with dementia have to cope with behavioural and motor challenges. They gradually forget to do things such as eating food. Sometimes, they often remember the meals they loved eating.
Doctors suggest that nutritionists and caregivers attend to dementia patients should provide food that is easy to chew. It should also be tasty, nutritious, and rich in omega-3 and fatty acids that would keep the cognitive functions running.
Anvayaa’s in-home elderly dementia care services operating in Vishakhapatnam, Coimbatore, and Chennai ensure that the caregivers are well-equipped to take care of such patients and monitor their well-being
3.Diabetic Nutritional Care
A large number of geriatric people have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. They need a special diet and nutrition along with their insulin doses to manage their blood sugar levels.
Nurses taking care of diabetic patients’ dietary needs must ensure that they are given food rich in antioxidants, fibre, and good carbohydrates so that their energy throughout the day is maintained and prevent signs of exhaustion.
Also, one of their biggest job roles is to monitor their daily blood sugar levels and control their intake during meals.
4.Cardiac health nutrition
With the sedentary lifestyle and bad food habits, many elderly people suffer from poor cardiac health. They might even have clogged arteries which disrupt the blood circulation in the body.
Caregivers looking after elderly patients with heart problems should see that their diet is low in cholesterol and fat. They should only consume vitamins, lean proteins, and minerals.
With Anvayaa, proper and affordable nutritional care for elderly people is possible within the comfort of their homes.
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