How to Cook for Seniors with Heart Disease

Heart disease runs rampant in our society. It affects more and more Canadians each year. Senior citizens are commonly found to have heart disease, and a proper diet is critical to improving their heart health and overall quality of life. If your loved one falls into this category, you can do much to provide them with quality meals that taste delicious and won't further deteriorate their heart. For those times when you are not available to cook for your parents, rely on the assistance of a trained personal support worker. They offer specialized help to meet your family's needs related to caring for aging adults.

Steps to Healthier Cooking for Seniors with Heart Disease

Give the aging adults in your care the best opportunities for staying healthy. The Internet is full of heart-healthy recipes. It is possible to give your loved ones exactly what they need when you take proactive steps like the ones below:

1. Encourage Dad to control his portion size. What he eats is important, but so is how much he eats—overloading a large dinner plate increases the likelihood of consuming too many calories. Now is the time to stack away the bigger plates and pull out the small ones. Offer him foods that are lower in calories and nutrient-dense. Options must include fruits and vegetables.
2. Have Mom eat more fruits and vegetables. The tables have finally turned. Instead of Mom making you eat your vegetables, you get to tell her to eat hers…gently, of course. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Keep some carrots and celery washed and cut for Mom to grab as a snack. Set out a bowl of fruit for her as well.
3. Add whole grains to their pantry. Another great source of dietary fiber is whole grain foods. It is easy to substitute for refined grain items. For example, swap out the white bread for whole-grain bread. Grab some high-fibre cereal instead of frozen waffles for Dad’s breakfast.
4. Cut out the unhealthy fats. Mom may be used to cooking with butter or another saturated fat. Encourage her to choose better fats for cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. Other areas where fats invade the diet include meat and toppings. It helps to trim off fat from beef and choose low-sodium yogurt instead of butter for baked potatoes.
5. Make a menu. We all get stuck in eating ruts. Sit down with your aging parent and write down a menu. This provides the best chance for getting good nutrition without falling into old patterns of eating.

Personal Support Workers Make Eating Healthy Possible

It may be a struggle to ensure you are eating well, let alone your loved one. Cooking for seniors effectively starts with hiring the services of home care workers from Home Instead Ottawa, ON. Our dedicated staff understands that aging in place is a priority for our clients, and they set out to encourage that with helpful services. Our team can cook nutritious meals, do light housekeeping, and sit down for a card game. We also offer Alzheimer's and dementia care. Contact us today to discover what we can offer your loved one.

Call us at (613) 599-6906 to schedule a no-obligation, in-home consultation. Learn more about the compassionate, quality senior care we deliver every day, to families in Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, Orleans, Rockliffe, Alta Vista, New Edinburgh, Manor Park, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Manotick, Sandy Hill, Hunt Club, Vanier, Richmond, Carleton Place, Gloucester, Kemptville