September is national fruit and veggies month. This is the ideal opportunity for you as a family caregiver to evaluate your senior’s diet, and find ways you can introduce new fruits and veggies into their meals and snacks. For many elderly adults, eating is something largely fueled by habit. They likely eat much the same as they did when they were younger, which might mean they are not getting the full range of nutrients they need to let their body thrive. Trying new things can be intimidating, but it can also be a fun way for you to spend quality time together, stimulate their mind, and improve health for both of you.

Use these tips to try new things during national fruit and veggies month:

• Make it a plan to try at least one new fruit and one new vegetable each week. This might mean exploring new varieties of foods they are already accustomed to, such different kinds of apples
• Explore a farmer’s market to find new options grown near their home
• Try visiting ethnic markets to explore different types of fruits and vegetables, as well as to discover new ways to prepare these foods
• Research recipes together to find options for meals and snacks that integrate new fruits and vegetables into your parent’s diet while still speaking to their personal tastes and preferences
• Make it easy to eat the new produce by preparing them for fast snacks by washing and chopping them when you first purchase them. This makes your parent more likely to reach for them when they want something to eat
• Make it a family experience by having everyone try this new produce and suggest ways to use it together

The benefits you’re aging loved one can receive from hospice care range from helping them manage their physical health to supporting more independence to enjoying better mental and emotional health. Because these services are fully customizable, you can feel confident your senior is getting exactly the help they need, when they need it, and can manage their health and challenges in the ways that are right for them. These services are completely customizable, but so is the care provider’s schedule. This means your parent is going to have the provider with them when it is right for them, whether that is all night, a few hours a week, or every day. As their family caregiver, this can give you a tremendous sense of confidence knowing they are in good hands both when you are with them, and when you are not.

If you or an aging parent are considering hospice care in Bethlehem, PA, please contact the caring staff at Serenity Hospice today. Call (215) 867-5405.