In-Home Care for Seniors: Proper Portions at Meal Time

Health Eating for Seniors  |  March 5, 2018

What Every Senior in Vancouver, BC Needs to Know About In-Home Care and Proper Portion for Optimal Health

Proper Portions at Meal Time | March is National Nutrition Month, and our senior home care professionals want to encourage all seniors to learn proper portion control. Larger portion sizes in many restaurants and advertisements encourage seniors to eat more calories than they otherwise would, which can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Seniors who have not been trained on portion control can underestimate how much they are eating with each portion. Try these tactics to ensure proper portion control.

Proper Portions at Meal Time Tips for Seniors:

Utilize Kitchen Scales and Measuring Cups: Measuring cups and food scales can help seniors stick to the correct portion size with their meals. After measuring food for a short amount of time, seniors will be more able to eyeball proper portions later.

Avoid Going Too Long Without Eating: Seniors who skip regular meals are more likely to become hungry and eat portions that are too large. This is why sticking to a regular meal schedule consisting of nutrition-filled meals, as well as having 1-3 healthy snacks throughout the day, is ideal. Whenever possible, older adults should refrain from going more than five hours without eating.

Drink Lots of Water: Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water makes it easier to feel full and can help older adults cut back on calories without feeling hungry. Seniors should be drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day to stay healthy and hydrated and to avoid extra calories.

Use Smaller Plates and Dishes: Seniors have likely been taught to clean their plates to avoid food waste, and larger plates can lead to overeating. Smaller plates can help give the appearance of a larger portion size and prevent adding too many calories to the plate.

Split Meals or Ask For A Box Right Away: Restaurants are known for their service of oversized portions. Those who dine out regularly should try to split meals with family and friends or ask for half of their meals to be packed up in a doggy bag right away. Portion control can condition a senior’s body to become fuller after eating smaller quantities of food so they can meet their weight loss goals and maintain a healthy weight.

Load up on Nutrition First: Ensure that most of your plate consists of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and other fiber-filled foods. This means there will be less of a chance of overeating sweets, unhealthy fats, and snack foods that have little to no nutritional value.

Comfort Keepers® is the Best Senior Home Care Provider in Vancouver, BC

Comfort Keepers® is the preferred choice for many families when arranging senior home care services for a loved one in or around Vancouver. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care, End of Life Care, Respite Care, and much more! 

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver Can Help with Interactive Caregiving™

Comfort Keepers®’s trained caregivers help provide senior clients with the highest quality of life possible to keep them happy and healthy at home. Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Our philosophy is to elevate the human spirit and our caregivers will be there every step of the way to ensure your loved one has a better quality of life. Personal and empathetic care is care that starts in the heart, and it allows us to meet our client’s exact needs. Learn more about our unique service which offers personal care, companionship care, palliative care, and end-of-life care by contacting the Comfort Keepers® Vancouver office.

Comfort Keepers® Brings You The Best Home Care Assistance Right Where You Live.

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver is proud to provide home care throughout Vancouver that keeps seniors safe in their homes. We provide home care for the seniors of Vancouver and the surrounding areas of Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Richmond please call (604) 689-8609. 

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver has been accredited with Exemplary Standing with Accreditation Canada. Accreditation is an intensive process in which industry experts examine an organization’s processes, policies, and procedures against quality standards. To achieve accredited status, Comfort Keepers® offices met or exceeded the rigorous standards for Home Care companies, as defined by Accreditation Canada. 

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