How to Help your Senior to Lose Weight

By Care Street Home Care Staff | November 12, 2021 | Comments Off on How to Help your Senior to Lose Weight
Home Care Assistance in East Brunswick NJ

Home Care Assistance in East Brunswick NJ

Obesity is a common problem among the elderly, and even a few pounds of excess weight can have a significant influence on their health.

If your senior is having trouble losing weight, it’s time to devise a plan to help them lose weight and live a better life. Your senior could look and feel better than they’ve ever felt with a little patience and a few lifestyle changes.

5 Ways to Help your Senior Lose Weight:

  1. Keep them hydrated:

    Water plays a vital role in metabolism and digestion. Since our bodies sometimes can confuse thirst for hunger, encouraging your seniors to drink adequate water will help in making sure they don’t overeat during meals.

  2. Control portions:

    As we become older, our bodies don’t require the same amount of calories as they did when we were younger. This is why you should practice portion control when cooking for your seniors. One of the easiest ways to create the illusion of a full plate is to use smaller plates.

  3. Exercise:

    Why don’t you take your senior to a yoga studio or a water aerobics class to get them moving? You can spend some time together with them while improving your own strength and flexibility. Even little daily exercises can help them regain their ability to bend their knees and tie their own shoelaces.

  4. Concentrate on fat loss:

    Muscle, bone mass, and organ tissue, are the last things the elderly need to lose, leaving excess fat as the chopping block. While concentrating on them losing fat, Incorporate more protein into their diet to help them avoid losing too much bone mass and muscle.

  5. Encourage them:

    Every transition has its own highs and lows. Agree to do everything you can to help them. It’s easy for them to allow old mindsets to get in the way of improving their health. For example, your senior may believe that weight gain is a natural aspect of aging. That isn’t the case at all. Educate them on the importance of weight loss, and celebrate milestones with them.

One way to encourage your seniors to lose weight is to explain to them some of the benefits they could get if they do. You can focus on any of these:

  • Increased mobility: This would lead to less dependency on others, resulting in greater independence.
  • Reduced risk of stroke or heart attack: Heart and circulation problems are a primary cause of death among the elderly. By lowering their weight, they can reduce their risk of both.
  • Reduction in their cost of living: There will be fewer doctor’s appointments and less medication necessary. This gives them more time to do the things they actually enjoy.
  • Reduction in depression rates: Obesity leads to isolation, diminished self-esteem, and increased rates of depression, which is a difficult experience. Weight loss can help with this, which is critical given the alarmingly high incidence of senior depression.

Conclusion

When you hire a skilled home care assistance provider, you can help your seniors reclaim their health and live a happy, rewarding life.

We provide home care assistance to the elderly and we can assist them in remaining independent and healthy. Whether they require companionship, cooked meals, or bathing we’re here for you. Contact us today and see if home care assistance is right for you and your family

Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/dieting-tips-older-adults
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/keeping-your-weight-up-in-later-life/

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in East Brunswick, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care today. Call (732) 607-8870.

Care Street Home Care Staff
Latest posts by Care Street Home Care Staff (see all)
Posted in Exercise, Healthy Habits, Nutrition and tagged , ,