Malnutrition can be a very dangerous issue for your parent, increasing the risk of a wide variety of health problems and complications, and diminishing their quality of life as they age in place. As a family caregiver it is important that you recognize the risks that your parent is facing and take steps to reduce those risks so that they are less likely to experience the potential dangers of this issue. One particularly meaningful way that you can do this is through home care.

Starting care for your parent is a way to ensure that their individual needs and challenges are met in a way that is right for them so that even if you are not able to be with them as frequently as you would like to be, or if you have your own personal limitations that keep you from being able to fulfill your parent’s needs effectively, you can rest assured that they will have the care that they need to maintain their quality of life as they age in place.

Some of the ways that a care provider may be able to help your parent avoid malnutrition include:

• Assisting your parent in meal and snack preparation to ensure that they are getting balanced nutrition regularly.
• Providing safe and reliable transportation to the grocery store so that your parent can keep their kitchen stocked with healthy foods.
• Assisting with eating if necessary to reduce danger and ease stress.
• Helping with food safety issues to keep foods healthier and safer.
• Socializing with your parent during mealtimes, including eating with them, to make eating more enjoyable so they are more likely to do it more often.

If you have noticed that your parent’s challenges and needs are more than what you can handle, or your own schedule or limitations have changed and made it more difficult for you to put forth the caregiver efforts that your parent needs and deserves, now may be the time for you to consider home care. A care provider can be with your aging parent on a customized schedule to fill any care gaps that exist and ensure that your parent is getting the care, support, and assistance that they need at all times. This can include a wide range of highly personalized services such as providing safe and reliable transportation so that they can do the things that they want and need to do without always relying on you, assistance with housekeeping, personal care support, and help with meal preparation. As a family caregiver this can give you peace of mind that your aging parent will be able to stay happy, healthy, and comfortable as they age in place, both when you are able to be with them and when you are not.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring caregiver services in Laurens, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.  Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2563720/

http://www.malnutritiontaskforce.org.uk/resources/malnutrition-factsheet/

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/data/index.htm

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Edward Harrison

Founder at Heart of the Carolinas

Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.

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