Feeding Services for Seniors in Peterborough

Eating And Drinking Comfortably And Consistently Are Crucial For A Senior’s Wellbeing. 

Elder adults have unique nutritional needs. Despite a reduced need for calories, seniors still need a nutrient-rich diet to ensure their physical and emotional health. Sometimes, to prevent or control medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, senior adults are on prescribed diets. Benefiting from these prescribed diets or simply enjoying a nutritious home-cooked meal becomes difficult when a senior is unable to feed themselves independently. This is why Comfort Keepers Peterborough caregivers are able to include Feeding Services for Seniors as part of the in-home care they provide. 

Eating and drinking well and consistently are crucial for the overall health and wellbeing of a senior. Together with our client’s health care team and family, our Comfort Keepers are able to help ensure safe, comfortable and consistent meal times for their clients. Contact Us To Learn More About Feeding Services for Seniors

In-Home Feeding Services Help To Preserve A Senior’s Independence And Health 

Being able to eat and drink independently is something we tend to take for granted. When challenges arise that limit this ability, the loss of independence can be difficult to accept. Comfort Keepers caregivers understand this and make the extra effort to turn mealtime into an enjoyable and social experience. For our caregivers, preserving the independence and dignity of a physically limited or unwell senior is just as important as ensuring they continue to benefit from a nutritious diet. 

Common Reasons Why Seniors Need Help The Support of Feeding Services

There are many different reasons why senior adults may need help or encouragement feeding themselves. 

• Illness, medical treatments or recovering from surgery can reduce a senior’s appetite or leave them in a weakened state
• Arthritis or other dexterity issues can limit a senior’s ability to use utensils independently
• Difficulty swallowing can present a safety concern as it is a risk for choking
• Fear surrounding incontinence can discourage seniors from eating and drinking enough
• Cognitive impairments like dementia or Alzheimer’s can cause seniors to overlook mealtime

Additionally, ageing adults can have a hard time identifying the signs of hunger and thirst. Finally, living alone can affect a senior’s mental health. Depression or melancholy can make eating and drinking unappealing to seniors causing them to skip meals or to simply forget to hydrate themselves.  

Different Ways Comfort Keepers Can Support A Senior At Meal Times

Our caregivers can help support their senior and adult clients during mealtime by making the process and experience of eating more accessible, enjoyable and — of course — safe. Comfort Keepers can help in a variety of ways including the following ways: 

• Cutting up food to reduce the risk of choking
• Preparing food in a way that makes eating more comfortable
• Assisting with straws or holding cups for sipping to ensure proper hydration
• Ensuring the senior has access to any utensils needed for an enjoyable and accessible mealtime
• Being their companion and allowing them to eat at their own pace so mealtime remains social and unrushed
• Helping to tidy up after mealtime by brushing away crumbs or helping to wipe their face to the senior feels confident and presentable leaving the table 

Our caregivers can also make note of changes to a senior client’s ability or inclination to eat and drink throughout the day and during mealtime. This is important because changes to a senior’s physical ability to eat could indicate other health concerns. Likewise, a refusal or lack of interest in eating can be a sign of poor mental health which should also be addressed. 

Contact Comfort Keepers Peterborough To Learn More

Eating and drinking well is an important part of living a healthy and comfortable life. Comfort Keepers is here to support our senior and other adult clients with our in-home Feeding Services to ensure proper nutrition, good hydration and an enjoyable and social experience at mealtimes. If you or a senior in your family needs the support of a Comfort Keeper, contact us today to learn more about how we can help. Contact Comfort Keepers Peterborough Today