Best Ways to Help Your Elderly Loved One Get Their Appetite Back

Is your elderly loved one experiencing a lack of appetite? If so, this could be very bad for their health. Many people who don’t have an appetite will lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time. In addition, they won’t be getting the vitamins or nutrients they need to prevent illnesses and stay healthy. If this is happening with your elderly loved one, there are some good ways for them to get their appetite back.

Exercising Daily

One of the things your elderly loved one can do to get their appetite back is to exercise daily. Research shows that many elderly people already don’t get as many calories as they need. When they have a lack of appetite, they are getting even fewer calories.

Exercising, especially outdoors, can help your elderly loved one get more vitamin D. This can boost their energy, motivation, and desire to eat. Research also shows that exercising makes people hungrier.

If your elderly loved one won’t exercise on their own, you or a senior care provider can exercise with them.

Check for Medication Side Effects

Your elderly loved one might have a lack of appetite because of a medication they are taking. There are so many different types of medications that can cause a lack of appetite. Antibiotics are one of the main types of medication that can cause this issue. Of course, if your elderly loved one has been prescribed an antibiotic that means they need it. However, there may be a different one their doctor can prescribe that doesn’t cause a lack of appetite as a side effect.

Managing Emotional or Mental Health Issues

Is your elderly loved one experiencing any high levels of stress, anxiety, PTSD, depression, grief, or other emotional or mental health issues? If so, all of these things can cause a lack of appetite.

If your elderly loved one does have an emotional or mental health issue, there are many ways these things can be treated. The first thing to do is to find out what is going on and why. This may involve your elderly loved one seeing a doctor or therapist. Once that is determined, a course of treatment can be put into place to help your elderly loved one. Hopefully, that treatment will bring back their appetite.

Conclusion

If your elderly loved one has lost their appetite, there are many things that can help to bring it back. The tips above are a great place to begin in helping your elderly loved one to regain their appetite. When you aren’t able to prepare home cooked meals for your parent, senior care providers can step in to help. A senior care provider can offer assistance with meal preparation, grocery shopping, medication reminders, mobility help and more.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/senior-health/art-20044699