Do you know how much your elderly loved one is eating? Has it seemed that they aren’t eating much at all? Maybe your elderly loved one’s senior home care providers have mentioned that your loved one is missing meals. If your elderly loved one isn’t eating enough, it is crucial to figure out why. There are many reasons why senior citizens may not be eating enough.
Reduction in Senses
One of the reasons why an elderly person may not be eating enough is that their senses aren’t up to par. For example, if your elderly loved one can’t smell or taste very well, they may not be able to enjoy the food that is in front of them. This problem could cause your elderly loved one not to want to eat, as well. If it seems that your elderly loved one’s senses aren’t great, you should mention this to their doctor.
Vision Problems
Another reason why some elderly people don’t eat enough is vision problems. For example, if your elderly loved one can’t see well, they may not notice they are out of a certain ingredient. Then, when they go to make a certain meal, but don’t have the ingredients needed, they may just miss that meal altogether. Senior home care providers can come to your elderly loved one’s house to prepare or help with meals. That way, your elderly loved one doesn’t have to miss any meals.
Side Effects from Medications
Your elderly loved one might not be eating well because they are having side effects from medications. There are so many medications that cause nausea, loss of appetite, or other symptoms that can affect one’s desire to eat. Some of the common medications that cause these issues are pain medications, antihistamines, and more. If you suspect your elderly loved one is taking a medication that is affecting their ability or desire to eat well enough, make sure you or a senior home care provider get them in to their doctor’s office. The doctor might be able to switch up the medications to one that doesn’t cause this problem.
Conclusion
There are many senior citizens who don’t eat well enough. If your elderly loved one is experiencing this issue, make sure you try to find out the reason. The issues above may be what is happening with your elderly loved one. If these don’t end up being the cause, you or a home care provider should make sure your elderly loved one sees their doctor. The doctor may be able to better figure out and treat the cause. The sooner the problem is treated, the sooner your elderly loved one can start eating as they should.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Carrollwood, FL , please contact the caring staff at R.B. Home Health Services, Inc today. 305-220-6309
Sources
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/8203257/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4589891/