There are so many surprising foods that a senior should avoid, and they may not even know it. If you have an older loved one, it may be important to ask them to consult a doctor about their diet needs. If your loved one tends to forget what they are or are not supposed to eat, it might be time to consider hiring an elder care assistant.
These assistants can attend doctor’s appointments with the seniors to determine which food they are supposed to avoid. They will also have a list of medications that the senior takes, and they can ask if any foods will react with the medicines. This is all very important for you and the senior to know about.
Elder care will ensure that the senior stays healthy and help them stick to a diet best suited to their lifestyle. They will prepare meals and plan dinners for the seniors to make a diet easy to stick to. If you are unsure what foods a senior should avoid, start with this list.
5 Foods Seniors Should Avoid
There are more than five food seniors should avoid, and it will be important to get the doctor’s input as well. Seniors should have a team of people who help them age gracefully and live healthily. Take a look at this list below and make sure the seniors you love stops eating these foods.
Soft Cheese
Although soft cheese is delicious for snacks, it is not the most healthy for seniors to consume. Soft cheese is a breeding ground for bacteria called listeria and other small bugs we cannot see. Seniors naturally have weaker immune systems that may not be able to fight off this bacteria well.
Undercooked Eggs
Anything like hollandaise sauce, homemade mayo, and eggnog should be avoided as a senior. These all have undercooked or raw eggs as one of the main ingredients. Unfortunately, seniors have weakened immune systems. So, though they once may have eaten these foods regularly as a senior, they may not be able to fight against the bacteria.
Raw Fish
If your loved one loves sushi, this doesn’t mean they have to give it up. You need to make sure the fish has been frozen for four days to kill off any parasites. Unfortunately, it may be risky to eat out at a sushi restaurant. There are plenty of other rolls to choose from that do not involve raw fish that may have bacteria on the fish.
Fresh Milk
Seniors should only drink pasteurized milk. Raw milk is delicious and may seem nutritious, but the truth is it can contain a bunch of bacteria that is hard for a senior to fight off. It could make them really sick.
Cold Meats
Elder care assistants should never buy their senior clients cold meats. They make great lunches but unfortunately, cold meats are usually cured and not pre-cooked. Cold meats can increase the risk of parasitic diseases and toxoplasmosis.
There are other things seniors should avoid that may interact with medications or affect moods. It is important to ask the doctor what the seniors should be avoiding.