A decreased sense of taste is part of the natural aging process. Though it’s not entirely known why this happens, it’s known that our sense of taste is tied to our ability to see. As we age and our eyesight diminishes, our sense of taste can diminish right along with it. Depending on diet and nutritional restrictions, here are some helpful and easy things you can do to make eating more flavorful and healthy for your aging loved one. 

Start with a Flavorful Base

Try foods that are a good source of lean protein and act as a flavorful base for the rest of the meal, such as: 

• Lamb
• Lean beef
• Salmon or shrimp
• Greens like spinach, broccoli, collard, or Brussels sprouts

Helping aging adults get proper nutrition can be exhausting, so it’s important for family caregivers to make time to attend to their own wellbeing. Families who find it difficult to care for their aging loved ones without assistance can benefit greatly from professional respite care. Clearwater, FL, family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties can turn to Home Care Assistance. Using our proprietary Balanced Care Method, our respite caregivers can encourage your loved one to eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of mental and social stimulation, and focus on other lifestyle factors that promote longevity.

Try Adding Some Color

Add color to your loved one’s meals. Seeing a plate of colorful foods can stimulate your loved one’s appetite and enhance his or her enjoyment of the meal. Try adding these to your cooking and presentation: 

• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Bell peppers
• Leafy greens
• Broccoli
• Yellow squash
• Mushrooms
• Fresh fruit like berries, melons, strawberries, cranberries, and cherries

A trained caregiver can provide additional support with preparing meals your loved one will eat. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of senior home care. You can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide an individualized care plan to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia.

Spice Up Meals with Tasty Condiments

Choosing the right condiments not only amps up flavor, but it can also decrease your loved one’s sodium intake. Give these a try: 

• Hot mustard
• Onions
• Vinegar
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Lemon/citrus juice
• Rosemary, sage, caraway, dill seeds

You might also try cooking healthy and flavorful versions of your loved one’s favorite dishes, which can stimulate the pleasure of seeing the dish and the taste of the food. 

Professional caregivers with training in nutrition and healthy habits can be a wonderful source of information and encouragement for seniors who have lost interest in eating because of a decreased sense of taste. Maintaining a high quality of life can be challenging for some seniors, but professional caregivers can help them attain this goal. Families can trust Clearwater elderly home care experts to help their elderly loved ones focus on lifestyle choices that increase the chances of living longer and healthier lives. Call Home Care Assistance at (727) 330-7862 to learn more about our flexible and customizable senior care plans.