How a Professional Caregiver from Visiting Angels McKinney Can Help Your Parent with Meal Planning and Preparation
Caregivers from Visiting Angels have helped many seniors in McKinney, Allen, Plano and Frisco, TX eat right with assistance with planning and preparing meals
One of the first signs of declining independence in seniors is malnourishment. A lack of proper nutrition can be caused by many factors, including but not limited to chronic or progressive medical conditions, mobility difficulties, medication side effects, problems with chewing and loss of appetite.
On the other hand, eating less than needed for optimal functioning or eating the wrong foods can result in a gradual decline of health, worsening of existing conditions and reduced overall well-being. That is why it is so important that older adults eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
If you are worried about your loved one’s eating habits, Visiting Angels can help put your mind at ease. We can develop a personalized in-home care plan and match your loved one with a compatible caregiver who will help them with activities of daily living, including meal planning and preparation.
How Caregivers Assist with Planning and Preparing Meals
Our meal planning and preparation service includes assistance with anything from developing weekly or monthly menus, doing grocery shopping and preparing the ingredients to the actual cooking, washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen.
If your loved one is unable to cook or does not wish to prepare meals, a care provider can make warm meals for them. However, if your parent enjoys spending time in the kitchen and trying out new recipes, they can get assistance with those tasks that they find difficult and still remain in charge of cooking.
A trained senior caregiver can also help your loved one if they are on a special diet developed by their medical team of professional dietitians. Our care providers can assist seniors who need to reduce or limit their sodium intake, eat a special diet to keep their diabetes under control or follow any other dietary regimen, from low-calorie to vegetarian.
Since grocery shopping involves much more than just purchasing food, we encourage our clients to go to the local store or market with their care providers. This way, they get to spend some time outdoors, possibly in the sun, chat with neighbors, move their bodies, and more. However, as we understand that not all seniors are up for this, our home care providers can also go grocery shopping alone, buy the groceries your loved one needs, and deliver them to their home.
If your loved one is for any reason unable to feed themselves, a qualified caregiver can provide feeding assistance as well. Our meal preparation service includes fluid reminders as well, making sure our clients are drinking enough water and that they are well hydrated at all times.
If your loved one needs help with meal preparation, we can assist with all related tasks – and also keep them company during meal time, turning it into a social activity and opportunity for conversation and bonding.
To learn more about our services and how we can be of service to your family, give our McKinney, TX office a call today. We are happy to answer your questions, give you more information about our programs and schedule your free at-home consultation!