Elderly people find it difficult to eat, can you drink only milk? & bull; hello healthy

Generally, as you get older your appetite will decrease. This occurs due to missing teeth, difficulty swallowing, to other digestive problems that often affect the elderly. Therefore, currently there are many special milks that are said to help maintain the nutritional intake of the elderly. So, can the elderly only drink milk when they don't want to eat?

Can drink milk, but do not replace eating

Compared to eating heavy meals, the elderly may be more interested in drinking milk. The reason is, milk does not need to be chewed or bitten. The elderly only need to chug it down. The easy way to drink milk is certainly an option for elderly people who have difficulty eating.

However, if you continue to drink milk without eating at all, you are afraid that the nutritional intake of the elderly will not be fulfilled properly. The reason is, not all the nutrients needed by the body are found in milk.

The elderly are allowed to drink milk, but that does not mean that the elderly who have difficulty eating enough are only given milk. Milk is indeed beneficial for health. For example, milk serves to meet calcium needs for bone health and vitamin D to support the immune system.

Milk can also help prevent osteoporosis in the elderly, because calcium deficiency can cause the elderly to suffer from diseases that cause bone loss. So, milk is indeed beneficial for the elderly and can be consumed every day.

But, what about other nutritional needs for elderly people who have difficulty eating? Milk may not be able to meet all kinds of nutrients, but milk can be used to help the elderly eat other foods that can balance nutrient levels in the body.

Using milk as a "fishing rod" to help elderly people who have difficulty eating can also be used as tips to encourage the elderly to eat. For example, provide milk in the morning, afternoon, and evening to accompany other meals. Siasati by giving other food first. Tell the elderly that when they run out of food, they can drink milk.

So, apart from providing milk for the elderly, what can be done to help meet the nutritional needs of elderly people who have difficulty eating?

4 ways to help meet the nutritional needs of elderly people who have difficulty eating

As they get older, the elderly do have a myriad of reasons for refusing to eat. However, that doesn't mean you can't deal with older people who are difficult to eat with. There are several tips that you can follow, as follows.

1. Find out the cause

One of the most effective ways to overcome the problem of elderly people with difficulty eating is to know what the reason behind the difficulty of eating is. Because the cause may not come from himself.

For example, there are several medicines that can cause a person to lose their appetite. In addition, there are dentures that make an elderly person feel sick when chewing.

By knowing the causes of difficulty eating in the elderly, you can find the right solution to encourage them to eat.

2. Prepare food according to nutritional needs

Provide a variety of foods that can meet all the nutrients needed for the elderly. Starting from protein that is good for maintaining muscle strength in the elderly. However, provide easy-to-chew foods such as cheese, yogurt, peanut butter bread, or tuna.

In addition, also provide fruits and vegetables. The reason is, both types of food are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. This nutrient intake is very important to prevent disease. If the elderly you are caring for have difficulty eating because they cannot chew food, help process fruits and vegetables to make them easier to eat. You can change it to smoothies, or boil vegetables to make them easier to chew.

3. Prioritize food choices for the elderly

Elderly people who have difficulty eating will be easier to "approach" with the foods they like. In addition, the elderly tend to like to eat small amounts. If the elderly have certain preferences for food, at least provide these foods to attract the attention of the elderly.

For example, if the elderly likes to drink milk, provide milk every time the elderly person wants to eat. This may increase his appetite and make him easier to be asked to finish other foods.

4. Approach in a kind way

Elderly people tend to be more sensitive. So, don't force your will if you want to help or invite him to eat. Avoid arguments about food as it can make the condition worse. Elderly people who have difficulty eating can get worse cranky and may refuse not to eat at all.

So that this does not happen, help the elderly in a good way. For example, use polite words and a painstaking manner. You can also invite their friends to come over to the house, because the elderly will be more eager to eat when they are with friends.