We can spend a lot of time preparing a warm and healthy plate of our senior’s favorite dish. But when it is time to eat, they may not touch the plate at all. While our efforts are all for their benefit, what concerns us is that they may go hungry or malnourished. Both outcomes are undesirable in their vulnerable situation.

Low appetite is a common concern for seniors. As your chosen home care in Alexandria, Virginia, we have seen families looking for answers on improving the nutrition and appetite of their senior loved ones. Our personal care assistants aid with meal planning, preparation, and feeding for homebound patients.

Understanding the causes of low appetite is important to address the problem. The right diet strategy follows the underlying cause. It can also be expected that several causes contribute to the problem.

• Swallowing problems or trouble chewing – the pain or discomfort from chewing or swallowing is enough to discourage eating. This can be due to the food, the senior’s ill-fitting dentures, or oral health conditions.
• Lack of interest in eating – changes in taste buds can alter the taste of the meals. Consider adapting to the senior’s taste. Eating alone can be lonely. Do not let seniors eat by themselves.
• Medication side effects – such as dry mouth can affect appetite. Your physician can help you anticipate appetite changes and adjust meals for your seniors. Your home health care in Virginia can work for a personalized meal plan.

Are you looking for private duty nursing in Virginia? Get support from Ma-Lowe Home Care Agency – where home care is designed for you.