Mealtime Made Easy: 6 Tips for Caregivers

2. Consult a speech pathologist for chewing and swallowing issues.

Someone who has difficulty swallowing can have that and their chewing evaluated by a speech pathologist. A specialist may recommend specific textures of food that should be consumed or suggest certain liquids, such as thickened water, to ensure safe swallowing, Holley said.

3. Consider using specialized utensils or physical therapy to assist with daily eating.

Adaptive utensils, bowls and plates are designed to help people with disabilities eat independently. They may be weighted or curved to accommodate a range of needs.

If someone was recently hospitalized or injured, they may benefit from physical therapy to relearn daily living activities, which can include preparing a meal or eating, Holley suggested.  

4. Convenience is key for healthy eating.

Prewash and chop ingredients or snacks to make it convenient for loved ones to eat when they feel hungry. If they are unable to make a meal or snack, clearly label what is in each container and prepare it ahead of time.

When prepping meals, season foods with herbs rather than salt, which increases sodium, and try healthier cooking methods such as baking, roasting or grilling, Holley recommended. Take into account taste preferences.

“Our taste buds change with age, so something that’s spicy might be a lot spicier to an older person than it is to a younger person,” she said.

Toward the end of Rachel’s caregiving journey, she noticed that her grandmother struggled to recognize the plastic containers used to hold her meals. So she began prepping the bulk of her grandmother’s lunches in advance and offered her a menu of choices. This allowed her daytime caregivers to focus on providing direct assistance without the added responsibility of cooking.

“As a person gets older and they wander down the path of dementia, they are less able to make choices in their lives. So it was really important to me for my grandma to have choices,” Rachel said. “The caregiver helped her look at the menu and decide what she wanted for her entrée.”

For caregivers and older adults in need, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, Meals on Wheels and other organizations can provide meal assistance.

5. Opt for high-calorie foods, and serve smaller, frequent meals to encourage eating.

Unintentional weight loss in older adults can cause additional health problems, so it’s important to find ways to pack more calories into smaller portions. This can be done by adding calorie-dense beverages such as juice, swapping broth-based soup for creamy soup, and using whole milk instead of low-fat or skim. Hearty whole grains, nut butter and healthy fats such as avocado and olive oil are also beneficial. Proteins such as chicken, fish and eggs can help prevent the loss of muscle mass, Holley said.

For some, having a large plate of food in front of them can be overwhelming. Instead, try five or six smaller meals every three to four hours in place of the standard three meals a day.  

6. Follow the four steps to food safety.

Even when caregivers follow food safety measures, accidents can happen. Rachel recalled when the refrigerator broke and she asked friends to bring food over while she was at work. Unfortunately, someone left a cooler of food on ice, which her grandmother ate the next day after the ice had melted, sending her to the hospital for almost a week with food poisoning.

Always keep in mind the four steps to food safety from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
• Separate: To avoid cross contamination, keep raw meat and eggs separate from foods that won’t require cooking.
• Cook: Use a food thermometer to ensure food is heated to its required temperature for safe consumption.
• Chill: Make sure to store food in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of cooking, and thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator, under cold water or in the microwave.

“With age, there are changes within the body, with organ function and reduced immunity,” Holley said. “So it can become more difficult for the body to fight off what it recognizes as foreign, such as the germs that cause foodborne illness.”

Rachel’s grandmother, Barbara Hiles, died at the age of 86 in January 2022. To read more about Rachel’s  caregiving journey, visit her website at TakingCareofGrandma.com.