Publix GreenWise Market Magazine - January 2008
Tempting Aging Taste Buds
 Coaxing an older person who's ill or frail to eat can be a challenge for caregivers. Check out some savory advice to get your loved one eating better.
Dorothy DeMarco's diet was three squares a day - TV dinners, potatoes and eggs. Then her son, Bobby, moved into her Delray Beach, Florida, condo to care for her. Soon Dorothy, 87 and an Alzheimer's patient, reduced her sweets intake and began exercising.
"I doubt my mother had any fruit for years before I came," Bobby says. "She eats better right now than she has at any point in her life."
Getting an elderly, ill or disabled person to eat well is challenging for Bobby and the more than 50 million other caregivers in this country. Illness, prescription drugs and the effects of aging can play havoc with appetite. But with planning you can lure your loved one back to the table.
MAKE EACH BITE COUNT
The nutrition needs of older adults are so important that researchers at Tufts University developed a Food Guide Pyramid especially for people over age 70. See the pyramid at (nutrition.tufts.edu/docs/guidelines.pdf). It recommends foods high in vitamin D and calcium (to maintain strong bones), antioxidants (to fight free radical damage associated with aging) and folic acid and vitamin B12 (to promote mental sharpness). The best way to get these nutrients is through food. Pack nutritional punch into every meal by emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains (including vitamin B12-fortified whole grain cereals), legumes, fish, lean meat and low-fat dairy foods are all good food choices.
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| To make meals more tempting, caregivers should add some FASS - fat, acid, sea salt and sweet - four things that amplify the flavors of most foods, says Rebecca Katz, lead author of One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends (Celestial Arts, 2004). Extra virgin olive oil, coconut milk, lemons, limes, sautéed onions and organic maple syrup bring the taste from the back of the palate to the top of the tongue, Katz says. Marinades, herbs and sauces also can help.
Replace candy and chips with healthy snacks, such as almonds, organic applesauce and yogurt. Individually sized portions are good for people with dementia who may not understand limits, Katz says.
If your loved one still balks at eating, you may need to resort to stealth nutrition. Smash a handful of similarly colored beans into rice dishes, stir nonfat dry milk powder into mashed potatoes or toss a zucchini into the blender and fold it into spaghetti sauce, suggests Susan Moores, R.D., a nutrition consultant in St. Paul, Minnesota.
A PALETTE FOR THE PALATE
Color and texture also can add appeal. "We eat with our eyes and all our senses," says Katz. Serve carrot soup in a small blue bowl or add shredded purple coleslaw as a side to salmon. Some of us love creamy, and others prefer crunchy. Find out what your loved one likes or offer a combination of textures, Katz says.
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| If your efforts still go uneaten, it may be time for supplements, such as vitamin D or C. "A multivitamin is one thing that can fill some gaps," says Moores. Check with the person's physician for advice and to ensure that supplements won't compete with or be affected by medications.
One last tip: Join your loved one at the table whenever you can. When it comes to stimulating the appetite, nothing works better than eating in good company and participating in friendly conversation.
LEARN MORE: For more caregiving tips, visit the Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org) and National Family Caregivers Association (thefamilycaregiver.org).
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Care for yourself
Caring for someone else can make you sick. "You just don't take the time for checkups," says Carol Bradley Bursack, author of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories (McCleery & Sons, 2005).
Bursack knows what she's talking about. She has cared for six elderly family members and a neighbor over a period of more than two decades. "I sat in so many doctors' offices for [other people's appointments] that getting myself to a doctor was difficult."
Here are some ways to take good care of yourself while caring for your loved one:
- Develop a sense of humor. Dark humor is common and harmless, says Bursack: "It takes away some of the tension."
- Find a support group, online or in your city. "You really need people to talk to, to get it all out," says caregiver Bobby DeMarco.
- Make time for regular exercise. It's time set aside just for you that also helps relieve stress and keeps you going strong.
- Take time out. Bursack recommends calling local aging agencies or turning to your faith community to find a care provider who can relieve you for an hour or two.
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