Is your senior eating enough protein? She might not be, especially if it’s been more difficult than ever for her to keep up with cooking and other household tasks related to meal preparation. These ideas are ones that you and home care providers can use to make sure your senior is getting plenty of protein each day.
Opt for Lean Meats
Fatty fish is a great source of protein and healthy fats, but for other meats, the leaner the better. Swapping out bacon or sausage for turkey versions gives your senior a protein boost while also reducing unwanted excess fats. Also, if your elderly family member tends to opt for red meat, try swapping out at least one serving a week for chicken, turkey, or fish as a way to keep her protein intake high, but reduce overall fat.
Get Creative with Eggs
Home Care in Pinellas Park FL
Eggs are such a fantastic protein source and they’re incredibly versatile. Have some vegetables that are just about to go? Sauté them and add eggs for a tasty scramble or even an omelet. For lunch or dinner, maybe go with sauteed vegetables and eggs for a crustless quiche. Hard boil some eggs for an easy to grab snack at any time of day or to use as a salad topper.
Add Beans, Fish, or Poultry to Salads
Speaking of salads, they’re a fantastic way to help your senior to get plenty of nutrients. And while vegetables do have protein, adding protein in some other ways bulks up the nutritional density of any salad. Adding rinsed canned beans, like garbanzo or black beans, offers a huge protein boost. You can also add cooked fish, like salmon or sardines, chicken, or turkey. You can slice up leftover chicken breast easily for a salad.
Mix Beans with Ground Meats
Another great way to reduce fats and to keep protein levels high is to mix beans and ground meats together for things like burgers or meatloaf. Black beans in particular are a great choice for this sort of swap because the flavor blends well with ground beef or ground turkey. Mixing them half and half may not make a difference at all in terms of flavor, but it adds fiber and other nutrients your senior can use.
Home care providers helping your senior with meals also ensures you’re much more aware of what she’s eating. That can be really important in terms of keeping up with her nutritional intake. Also, having a caregiver there with her during meals may help her to feel more comfortable eating.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Home Care in Pinellas Park, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
