What Causes Appetite Decline in Seniors and What Can They Do?
September 5, 2024
Appetite decline is something that almost every senior experiences at one point or another. This issue has a big impact on overall health and quality of life, so it’s important to understand what causes it and what seniors can do. Senior home care providers can do a lot to make it easier for seniors to work around appetite decline so that they can stay healthy.
Medical Conditions
Chronic health issues and medical conditions very much affect appetite. Conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease can affect taste and smell, reduce appetite, and cause nausea. Working around these issues gets easier when the health conditions are under better control, so it’s important to talk with doctors about what else seniors might need to do.
Medication Side Effects
Some of the medications that seniors take to keep health issues under control have side effects that reduce appetite. They may cause nausea, dry mouth, or affect how foods and drinks taste. Sometimes these side effects can be corrected by switching to another medication or changing the dosage, so seniors should talk to their doctors about what they’re experiencing.
Dental Issues
Missing teeth, dentures that don’t fit well, or gum disease can make it more difficult for seniors to eat. Over time, those issues can lead to a reduced appetite. Getting to the dentist regularly helps seniors to avoid serious dental problems. Having help with dental hygiene also makes a difference, and senior home care providers can offer hands-on help as well as reminders to brush and take care of dental needs.
Mental Health Illnesses
Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can make it more difficult for seniors to eat as often as they should. Some seniors don’t realize that they associate eating with socialization and have trouble eating alone. Elder care providers can make sure that they spend time with seniors while they eat, ensuring they get the nutrition they need.
Reduced Senses of Taste or Smell
Some seniors find that as they grow older, they experience reduced senses of smell or taste. Food becomes less appealing overall, even if they used to love those particular foods in the past. Boosting the flavor of foods with herbs and spices can help somewhat. It can also help to experiment with textures and visual presentations of foods.
Reduced Physical Activity
When seniors don’t move much, their bodies need fewer calories to keep themselves going. Gradually increasing activity levels can help stimulate appetite. Being more physically active, as long as it is safe for seniors, helps in so many other ways, too.
Strategies That Help
It’s important to try to find solutions that help when seniors just aren’t interested in eating much. For instance, offering foods that are rich in nutrients helps to ensure that seniors at least are not missing as much nutrition as they might otherwise. Serving smaller meals more often can be less overwhelming, which might encourage them to eat more. Senior home care can help family caregivers with other ideas that might work.
Appetite decline can happen for so many different reasons. What matters the most is to find solutions that help seniors stay healthy. Senior home care providers have a lot of experience helping aging adults with these types of concerns, so they can offer some great suggestions.
If you or your loved one is looking for Senior Home Care in Los Gatos, CA, please call Familiar Surroundings Home Care.
Santa Clara County: (408) 979-9990
San Mateo County: (650) 353-9777
Santa Cruz County: (831) 480-3990