Do You Know the Warning Signs of Poor Nutrition in Your Senior?
March 20, 2018
Poor nutrition can manifest in a variety of different ways, but it can leave some similar signs. Once you know what to be on the lookout for, you can help your senior to get help sooner rather than later.
Home Care in Saratoga CA: Warning Signs of Poor NutritionAn Empty or Understocked Fridge.If your senior isn't up to shopping or simply has no desire to eat, her fridge, pantry, and freezer are going to reflect this. Take a few moments and peek into each of these areas. Your senior might say when you ask that she just hasn't had a chance to get to the store, which could be true. Consider some other options. Perhaps you could grocery shop for her or have home care providers tackle a list for her. Regardless, she's definitely not going to be eating well if there's no food in the house.Unexplained Weight Loss.Weight loss, particularly that your senior wasn't trying for, is another huge sign. This can mean that your elderly family member isn't eating well or isn't eating at all. It's time to take a trip to her doctor and rule out other potential causes for the weight loss. Once you know what you're up against, you can help her to safely regain the weight she's lost.She's Developing Health Problems.The flip side of the doctor's visit, of course, could be that your senior actually does have some health conditions that she wasn't aware of. Now that you know about these health conditions, you, your elderly family member and her doctor can put a plan together to help her get healthy again. Your senior may need a specialized diet depending on the type of health concerns she's facing.She's Moody or Seems to Feel "Blah."When someone is hungry all the time or malnourished, it's not uncommon at all for them to have a difficult time maintaining their moods properly. This is especially the case if your senior has always been good-natured and now is cranky or otherwise upset all the time. Your senior might also feel tired all the time or have trouble sleeping. Getting her back on a regular eating schedule may be able to help.
The best thing for you to do is to talk with both your aging family member and her doctor about what you're seeing. Her doctor can run some tests and determine exactly what is happening so that you can start to put some solid solutions in place for your senior.