Have you noticed that your senior mom or dad is losing weight without trying? Are they not interested in eating? The problem could be medical, or it could also be that they are having trouble eating. As seniors get older, they can develop all sorts of medical conditions and physical difficulties that make it hard or painful for them to eat. If a medical condition is making it tough for your senior parent to eat they need to see their doctor. If your mom or dad has trouble with oral hygiene because they have arthritis or poor grip strength personal care at home providers can help with hygiene tasks.
The problem may also be one of these five common reasons that seniors have trouble eating:
Dental Problems
Dental problems are very common in seniors, and they can make it difficult or painful for seniors to eat. Seniors who have dentures may find that their dentures aren’t fitting correctly, which makes chewing difficult. Seniors who have lost teeth could also have trouble chewing their food.
If your senior parent hasn’t been to the dentist in a while for a cleaning, make an appointment for them to get a thorough dental cleaning. Gum disease and other dental issues can also make eating tough for seniors. Their personal care at home can help them with their hygiene.
Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing)
Seniors who have had a stroke, or seniors who have conditions like Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s may develop difficulty swallowing called dysphagia. Dysphagia causes weakness in the muscles used to swallow.
Seniors who have dysphagia often experience a feeling of food getting stuck in their throats, so they avoid eating. Soft or pureed food may be necessary if your senior parent has dysphagia.
Decreased Appetite
Sometimes seniors lose their appetites because of medical conditions like depression, cancer, COPD, or heart disease. Loss of appetite and nausea can also be side effects of common medications that seniors take. If your senior parent is not eating because of medication side effects talk to their doctor about changing medications.
Digestive Issues
Seniors who have gastrointestinal disorders like acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or constipation may not want to eat because it causes them uncomfortable gas, nausea, or heartburn.
If your senior mom or dad is avoiding meals because of their digestive issues talk to their doctor to find out what kinds of foods are best for them to eat. Sometimes just changing their diet can make a big difference in the symptoms they experience.
Physical Limitations
Seniors also can experience problems holding utensils and cups or using forks, spoons, and knives safely because of conditions like arthritis, tremors, muscle weakness, poor grip, or poor dexterity.
Personal care at home can help if your senior parent is avoiding eating because they can’t properly use utensils or are embarrassed and don’t want to spill food.
Some medications may be able to help seniors improve their coordination. Physical therapy and occupational therapy can help too.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care at Home Services in Montclair NJ please get in touch with the caring staff at Expert Home Care today at (732) 937-5320.
Providing exceptional live-in home care in New Jersey, including Monroe Township, Edison, New Brunswick, Red Bank, Lakewood, Princeton, Morristown, Flemington, Stockton, Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Montclair, Livingston, Summit, and surrounding communities.
We have been providing Home Health Care to New Jersey families since 1985, and have grown to become one of the largest licensed providers of Live-In Home Care in the upper New Jersey area. Our many years of New Jersey home care experience has produced a company that over 8,000 clients have come to rely on confidently, for help.
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