National Egg Month: Eggs Are Ideal for Elderly Diets
Senior Care in Huntington NY: National Egg Month
As a family caregiver, you may be quite involved in shopping for your aging loved one and even in preparing their meals. Of course, you want to serve them healthy meals but have you thought recently about including more eggs in their diet? Eggs are ideal in the diets of elderly people for several reasons—they are inexpensive, delicious, nutritious and easy to eat. Celebrate National Egg Month in May and do what you can to increase the number of eggs in your aging loved one’s diet.
Seniors Need Lots of Nutrition.
Are you concerned about your aging loved one’s diminishing appetite? Have senior care aides reported to you that the senior isn’t finishing their meals? Or perhaps the senior is just not eating as robustly as they did before their recent surgery or latest illness. Often with age, seniors just slow down their caloric intake and experience less hunger than they did when they were younger. Many seniors struggle with malnutrition so every bite of food needs to be packed with healthy things. That’s where the incredible egg comes in.
Nutritional Value in Eggs.
Eggs are a nutrient-dense food, which means they contain a lot of different minerals, vitamins and nutrients. With Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, iron, potassium, calcium, choline, selenium, phosphorus and more, eggs top the charts as a true superfood. They are also a valuable source of high-quality protein and leucine, an amino acid that is good for the body. One egg is just 70 calories, so seniors can enjoy several as part of a balanced diet.
Other Reasons to Include Eggs.
Not only are the elderly going to benefit from the nutritional value in eggs, but they have several other benefits as well. Eggs are quite affordable, especially when compared to other kinds of protein sources like meat. For seniors on a fixed income who are trying to stretch their grocery budget, eggs are an economically smart purchase.
Seniors also benefit from the versatility of eggs. They can be the star of a meal, such as scrambled eggs for breakfast or a quiche for dinner. Or, eggs make an ideal snack food when they are hard boiled, deviled or pickled. Finally, eggs are soft on the teeth, gums and palate, making them easy to chew and swallow. Many seniors struggle with this due to dentures, strokes, or just diminishing control. An egg’s texture allows seniors to enjoy it without much stress, which makes it more likely they will clean their plate.
If you are looking for ways to save money on groceries for your aging loved one and provide them with delicious and nutritious options, reconsider eggs. If you are already using them in your meal plans for your elderly loved one, think about more ways to add them, such as on top of salads, as an egg salad sandwich spread and more. Coordinate the shopping and meal prep with any senior care aides to ensure that your aging loved one is benefiting from the nutritional boost that eggs can bring to their diet.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Huntington, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Source:
http://www.eggnutritioncenter.org/egg-101/
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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