The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages people to learn more about healthier food choices and improving their nutrition. This is especially important to consider when seniors are coming home from the hospital, because proper nutrition is the base of a solid recovery. Hospital to home transition care services can help seniors and family caregivers understand what seniors need nutritionally as they return home to continue healing.
Check for Dietary Restrictions and Nutritional Needs
Some people can continue eating their normal diets after a hospitalization, especially if that diet was already fairly healthy. But it’s also common for seniors to pay attention to dietary restrictions after a hospital stay. This information is in the discharge instructions and hospital to home transition care providers can help families understand their seniors dietary restrictions and nutritional needs during recovery.
Plan Meals and Snacks Carefully
For seniors with new restrictions or specific needs related to nutrition, it helps to plan snacks and meals carefully. Home care providers can help with this. They can work with seniors to build in food preferences that also match up with the recommendations from their doctors. Elder care providers can also help with related tasks, like grocery shopping and preparing meals, especially while seniors are recovering.
Monitor Hydration
Hydration is always a huge part of nutrition, and it’s especially meaningful for seniors who are recovering after a hospital stay. Making hydration a game can help seniors continue to stay on top of drinking plenty of water. Using fun containers and experimenting to find water flavorings and accessories, like straws, can help seniors find the combination that best helps them meet their water intake goals.
Try Smaller Meals
Sometimes, after a hospital visit, seniors find that they have much smaller appetites than before. They may also be on medications that affect their appetites. Encouraging seniors to eat smaller meals more often or including more healthy snacks can help with this issue. This can help seniors enjoy meals more and get the nutrients they need throughout the day.
Establish Routines for Healthy Eating
Routines can be so important for helping seniors to keep healing once they return home from the hospital. The routines they used to rely on may not work for them now, especially their old routines around eating. Hospital to home transition care can help seniors to evaluate their needs and work out what routines are most likely to be helpful as they recover.
Talk with Healthcare Providers About Challenges
As seniors recover at home, they may start to experience challenges that make eating more difficult. Trouble swallowing, difficulty chewing, and continuing issues with low appetite can all point to other issues. It’s a good idea to mention these challenges to healthcare providers so that they can recommend solutions like pureeing foods or working with a speech therapist to solve issues with swallowing.
Getting the right nutrition after a hospital stay can greatly improve the healing process for aging adults. Hospital to home transition care helps families plan for the return home and helps with issues related to eating well to improve recovery.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Hospital to Home Transition Services in Margate FL, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call 954-962-0926
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Florida including Palm Beach, Miami Dade, and Broward County.
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