Factors Affecting the Impaired Food Intake of the Elderly

Having elderly members in the family means being familiar with their unique challenges and varying needs from day-to-day. One of these is the difficulty associated with eating or what is technically called an impaired food intake.

Years of experience as a home care in Arizona has taught us that care should go beyond treating the symptoms or the physical manifestations of the illness; instead, care should begin from the inside. In its most basic sense, this means eating well.

For our seniors, however, this may be easier said than done because of many factors; the two main causes being:

1. Poor Appetite
   Your elderly loved one may have a poor appetite that can cause him to forgo eating even when he or she wants to and knows this to be necessary. This may be due to different factors, such as their daily medication maintenance or the natural decrease of taste buds that comes with aging. Encourage a ‘little but often’ routine. This means serving them with small portions of healthy foods but in as often as 2 to 3 hours.
2. Inability to Eat
   This refers to having actual swallowing difficulties and other related problems that can hinder your elderly loved one from eating. At this stage, their health problems would have been diagnosed so you would have been prescribed the tools necessary to assist them.

Comfort Covenant Home Care, LLC is a home care agency in Peoria, Arizona able to provide you with the necessary assistance you may need in taking care of your loved ones.

We also carry a variety of in-home care services that may further aid you in living a life without limitations. Do not hesitate to reach us either through 480-744-7390 or 623-888-3001.