Has this ever happened to you? You offer her a spoonful of her favorite food. Instead of opening her mouth, she screws it up tight. There’s no way in heck a spoon is getting in! Or, she turns her head away, disinterested. You try everything you can think of to entice her, but she won’t eat. Not one bite.
I’m not talking about a toddler. I’m talking about an elderly parent. Family and professional caregivers do their best to get elderly adults to eat, often to no avail. It’s frustrating because mom and dad need proper nutrition to maintain their weight and health. It’s also frustrating when you can’t figure out why they’re not eating. According to AgingCare.com, there are common reasons older adults can’t or won’t eat:
- Reduction in senses of taste, smell and sight
- Medication side effects
- Constipation
- Problems with chewing (Teeth, gums or dentures)
- Tired of dining alone
- A medical condition like dementia
Now that you know some of the reasons why mom or dad won’t eat, what do you do? The best place to start is with your parent’s doctor. He or she can do a thorough check-up to determine what is killing their appetite. Don’t forget to take your parent’s list of prescription medications so the doctor can see what affect those may have. You might also need to schedule a dental appointment to address any chewing problems.
Once you understand your parent’s issues, you might consider adding Thrive Ice Cream to their diet as a meal supplement or treat. Thrive is complete nutrition, with 24 vitamins and minerals, protein, active probiotics and other beneficial ingredients. Beyond that, ice cream is fun so getting them to eat is much easier.
Finally, Thrive Ice Cream is something you can enjoy together. Have a scoop of ice cream together; it will taste divine, but it will also make mealtime more social and therefore more enjoyable for mom or dad. For more information or to order online, visit our website.