Can Cognitive Functioning Issues Contribute to Inadequate Nutrition?
When considering the impact that cognitive functioning decline can have on your elderly parent, you may immediately think of issues such as memory loss, wandering, and increased difficulty in making decisions or having proper judgment.
What you might not immediately think about is the physical effect that cognitive functioning issues can have on your parents. One such physical effect is difficulty getting adequate nutrition on a regular basis. Many elderly adults are at risk for inadequate nutrition and the potentially serious consequences that can result, making it extremely important for you as a family caregiver to not only understand this risk, but the factors that can contribute to it so that you can take the proper steps to protect your parent as they age in place.
Some of the ways that cognitive functioning issues can contribute to inadequate nutrition for your aging parent include:
-Inability to remember when they last ate, contributing to them not eating as frequently as they should
-No longer understanding that they need to eat or the purpose of eating
-No longer being able to recognize hunger pangs or to understand that eating will relieve those hunger pangs
-Resistance to a variety of foods that can lead to them strictly limiting their diet and only eating a few select foods that do not give them the full range of nutrients that they need
-Inability to read and follow instructions in order to properly prepare foods to be eaten
-Inability to safely use kitchen utensils and implements such as knives or the stove to properly prepare foods to eat
-No longer remembering how to eat properly or how much they should eat
Starting elderly care for your aging parent can be an exceptional way for you to help your parent live their highest quality of life possible as they age in place.
An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent when it is best for them to offer a highly personalized set of services designed to address their needs, challenges, and limitations in the ways that are right for them.
Through these services, the care provider can help your parent stay happy, healthy, comfortable, and safe, while also pursuing a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, and independent as possible throughout their later years. These services will be designed with your parent as an individual in mind, shaping the services around their thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and personal goals for the most fulfilling quality of life.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Geneva, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.
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