Long Term Care Providers Share Tips for Managing Portion Control with Seniors

Home Care Blog  |  March 31, 2018

Managing Portion Control with Seniors

Managing Portion Control with Seniors; In honor of National Nutrition Month, older adults should take the time to evaluate their eating habits and identify if they need to make any changes to portions they consume. Larger portions come with more calories and encourage older adults to eat more than they otherwise would.

Portion control can condition a senior’s body to become full after eating smaller quantities of food so that they can achieve their weight loss goals and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Seniors who refrain from utilizing proper portion control often underestimate how much food they actually consume and experience unhealthy weight gain as a result. Long term care providers from Comfort Keepers of Calgary have the following tips for seniors who would like to ensure they’re eating proper portions:

Tips for Managing Portion Control with Seniors:

Avoid Skipping Meals

People who skip meals are more likely to eat portions that are far too large. For this reason, your senior loved one should stick to three nutritious meals each day, as well as a few snacks. Whenever possible, older adults should refrain from going longer than five hours without eating. It’s easy for seniors to forget to eat throughout the day, or maybe the tasks of shopping for or preparing meals has become too challenging. In home care can be a big help in ensuring that your loved one is eating healthy snacks and well-balanced meals throughout the day.

Use Smaller Plates

Seniors have likely been taught to finish their plate in order to avoid food waste and are more likely to overeat when they use larger plates. Therefore, smaller plates can help older adults prevent overeating.

Load Up on Nutritious Foods First

By loading up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and fiber-filled foods first, older adults will be less likely to overindulge on sweets, unhealthy fats, and other unhealthy foods.

Drink Water Frequently

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can make it easier for older adults to cut back on calories without feeling hungry. Seniors should drink at least eight-ounce glasses of water each day. It’s so important for seniors to consume an adequate amount of water in order to prevent symptoms of dehydration, like dry skin, fatigue, dizziness, even fainting. Long term care providers or home caregivers can be there to help monitor your loved one’s fluid intake and offer reminders or assistance during the day.

Split Meals When Dining Out

Some restaurants in the Calgary area are known for serving large portions. Seniors who dine out regularly should split meals with their loved ones or ask for half of their meal to be packed up in a doggy bag.

Take Advantage of Cups and Scales

Measuring cups and scales can help seniors measure their portion sizes. Once they use cups and scales for a while, they can eyeball their portion sizes. Seniors who find it difficult to utilize measuring cups, kitchen scales, and other appliances can depend on getting the help they need from long term care services.

Managing Portion Control with Seniors; Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help

At Comfort Keepers^®, we create individual care plans for every client. These plans include wellness goals that consider physical, mental and emotional health. Our caregivers can help support physician-prescribed diet and exercise plans, provide medication reminders, provide transportation to appointments and help seniors engage in the activities they love the most. And, our caregivers can help senior stay connected with loved ones through video chats, phone calls and care updates. We believe that every senior should experience the best in life.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

Share This Post: