How to Cook for an Elderly Person

As people get older, they tend to eat less ' but good nutrition is more necessary than ever.

Things You'll Need

• Fruits
• Low-fat Food
• Salt Substitutes
• Whole Grains
• Calcium Supplement
• Vegetable Steamers

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Instructions

• 1

  Control portion sizes. People need fewer calories as they get older, and they should eat a balanced, moderate diet to keep their weight under control.

• 2

  Read the information that comes with all medications to find out if there are any dietary restrictions that accompany the medication.

• 3

  Try to lower the sodium intake of a senior citizen, especially if he or she is at risk for high blood pressure.

• 4

  Make sure there is lots of fiber in the food you serve; this helps prevent constipation.

• 5

  Serve low-sugar foods if the person you are feeding has diabetes or is at risk of becoming diabetic. A good diabetic cookbook will contain many helpful recipes and hints.

• 6

  Serve heart-healthy foods ' low-fat, low-salt and preferably prepared from scratch. Prepare lots of healthy whole grains and vegetables, and cut down on red meat.

• 7

  Make sure there is lots of calcium in the food you are cooking, or offer an easily absorbed calcium supplement; this helps prevent bone loss and osteoporosis in older people, especially women.

• 8

  Consult a hospital nutritionist or dietician if an older person needs to be hospitalized for any serious health problem; this will prepare you for any dietary restrictions or nutritional requirements that you may not have considered.

• 9

  Serve food that is easy on dentures, if necessary. Some foods are too chewy or too sticky for denture wearers to eat comfortably.

• 10

  Monitor alcohol consumption; although the occasional glass of wine with dinner probably can't hurt, and may even benefit the heart to some degree, it's not a good idea for people of any age to drink too much, especially if medications are involved.