National Nutrition Month
Caregiver in Bay Shore NY
As a family caregiver, your aging parent’s health and wellbeing is one of your most important priorities, and one of the most effective ways that you can ensure she remains as healthy as possible is
to focus on balanced nutrition as part of your regular care routine. March is National Nutrition Month, the ideal opportunity for you to learn more about the importance of nutrition, your parent’s particular nutritional needs as they work in conjunction with her specific health concerns and conditions, and how you can modify your care approach to make nutrition a focus while also making it enjoyable.
Nutrition is all about seeing the food that you eat as fuel that you are giving your body so that it can function properly. This is not just about energy, but about all of the nutrients that come together to support production of cells and tissues, healing the body, strengthening senses, and battling free radicals and other possible hazards in your body so that it can stay healthy and strong over the long term. This means getting a wide variety of nutrients on a regular basis, and that requires a richly varied diet.
Use these tips to help you improve your parent’s nutritional approach during National Nutrition Month:
- Talk to the doctor. Do not just rely on your own research to tell you what type of nutritional needs your parent has. Each person’s needs are a little different and they rely on that person’s specific personal makeup such as age, weight, sex, and even ethnicity, as well as health features such as chronic conditions and risk factors. Medications that your parent takes or other treatments that she undergoes regularly can also make an impact on what she should and should not be eating and drinking. Spend some time talking to her doctor about her nutritional needs and let him give you recommendations for the types of foods and beverages that are right for her.
- Explore together. It is easy to fall into a rut when it comes to eating, but that can greatly reduce the variety of nutrients that your parent gets on a regular basis. Dedicate this month to exploring new foods together so that you can find new favorites or exciting twists on old standbys that add more nutrition to her diet and reduce the chances that she will experience boredom that might keep her from eating properly or inspire her to reach for those less than healthy snack and meal alternatives. Visit a farmer’s market to find new produce, wander through a spice store to find new flavors to add to meals, or even try a meal delivery service for a month to experience new types of cooking and ingredients that can inspire more variety.
- Make cooking an activity. When you care about the food that you eat, you are more likely to eat healthy, well-balanced foods that will nourish your body. Make cooking something that you do with your parent as a way to not only feel more connected to the food that you are eating, but a way to stimulate your parent’s mind, support critical thinking and memory skills, and create lasting memories.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Bay Shore, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
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