Tag: Senior Care in Minneapolis MN

Malnutrition is a risk at any age. Even if your parents are eating regular meals, they’re still at risk of malnutrition. If they’re not eating the proper nutrients, they’re risking issues like iron-deficient anemia, low bone density, and vitamin B12 deficiencies that lead to dizziness, memory issues, and problems with balance.

It often seems complicated to follow a healthy eating plan. But, it doesn’t have to be. Use these tips to get your parents to make better choices when it comes to their meals and snacks.

Follow a Rule of Fourths

When your parents have a meal, they need to aim for fourths. A fourth of the plate is protein. Another fourth is a whole grain. The remaining half of the plate should be fresh fruits and vegetables.

Take Favorite Meals and Snacks and Improve Them

Sometimes, it’s helpful to take a close look at family recipes and see if there are ways to improve them. Your dad loves meatloaf. Switch to ground turkey or chicken to lower the fat content. Lean ground beef also helps. Lower the sodium content and add more vegetables to reduce the amount of meat in the mixture.

Your mom has a sweet tooth and loves brownies. Make them without sugar using banana puree instead. If she likes oatmeal cookies, skip the sugar. Instead, use banana puree and add lots of nuts and chopped apples for a nutritional kick.

Stop buying store-bought bread. Make homemade bread and add more fiber by avoiding all-purpose flour. Instead, use whole wheat flour and add other grains, seeds, and nuts. You’ll control the sodium and sugar when you make it from scratch.

Eat Plenty of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Ensure your parents have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. They should form the majority of the foods your mom and dad eat all day. Of course, they want to mix up their colors, too. Leafy greens are essential, but so are cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and antioxidant-rich tomatoes.

Get plenty of fruit each day in a hurry. A smoothie made from frozen berries, hemp or flax seeds, yogurt, and banana is a nutritious, easy-to-make breakfast.

Help your parents make better choices when it comes to their meals and snacks. With the help of senior care aides, your parents have someone to help them choose foods at the grocery store. They don’t have to get frozen meals or takeout as their caregivers can cook for them. Call a senior care agency to find out more about prices and schedules.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

Walking is fantastic exercise and there aren’t any special equipment requirements. As long as your elderly family member is able to walk and has supportive shoes, she can get started walking right away. Talk to her doctor first, and go over some of these safety tips, too.

“Right of Way” Isn’t Protection

Lots of people count on pedestrian right of way laws to save the day. But the problem with that is that drivers don’t always follow those right of way laws. It’s far better to be safe and sound than to be legally in the right if your senior is going up against a car as a pedestrian. Right of way laws don’t offer her nearly as much protection as paying attention to what’s going on does.

Pay Attention to All Traffic Signals

Along the same lines, traffic signals are a crucial part of her walking experience. Your elderly family member needs to pay attention to pedestrian signals, of course, but traffic signals are almost more important. Knowing what the cars are supposed to be doing, as well as what they’re actually doing, is vital in order for her to stay safe out on walks.

Look Both Ways, Twice

Your senior might have been the one to teach you to look both ways before crossing the street, but that is still a crucial rule. It’s also a good idea to beef it up a bit by doubling it. Looking both ways, twice, helps to ensure that your elderly family member is as aware as possible about what’s going on around her. If she’s in any doubt at all, looking again could be lifesaving.

She May not Be Able to Beat the “Don’t Walk” Warning

If your elderly family member thinks that the “don’t walk” signal is just a suggestion, she might be courting trouble. The signal that indicates she should stay on her side of the street is about keeping her safe, and it’s tied to traffic lights. That means even if there isn’t a car coming when she steps off the curb, that could change very quickly. It’s always better to wait, even if she doesn’t think cars might be coming around the corner or across the street.

Walking with a Partner Is a Good Idea

It’s always a good idea to have an exercise partner, but that’s even more important for your senior if she’s walking around her neighborhood. Walking with friends or neighbors could be a great idea, but if that’s not always feasible she may need another option. Senior care providers make excellent companions, and they can ensure your aging family member is safe as she walks, too.

Always make sure that your senior’s doctor clears any new exercise plans, including taking walks around the neighborhood.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.