Have you noticed as your loved one ages, he just keeps getting smaller and smaller? While he might lose height, some elderly people begin to lose a lot of weight as they age as well. If you have taken your loved one in to see his regular physician and have ruled out any diseases or health concerns that may be causing him to lose weight, it may just be due to some common occurrences that happen as a person ages.
Since being underweight can be just as unhealthy as being overweight, understanding what is causing your loved one to lose weight can help you make adjustments to keep him from losing too much weight and becoming malnourished. Along with his senior home care provider, you’ll be able to help him make some adjustments to either his eating habits or his lifestyle to keep him at a healthy weight.
They’re Just Not Hungry
Many seniors say they stop eating as much because they’re simply not that hungry anymore. They find themselves completely forgetting about meals or when they do it, it’s something small and fairly insubstantial like a bowl of cereal for a meal. Having a senior care provider who helps with meals can be one way to remind your loved one that they need to eat and then make sure what they do eat is calorie-packed and nutrient-rich.
Metabolism Slows Down
Metabolism slows down as a person ages. For some, who continue to eat the same amount of calories as they did when they were younger and more active, this can cause weight gain. For others, it means that because their body is absorbing and breaking down the food more slowly, they don’t feel the need to eat very often.
They’re Not Enjoying Eating
Sometimes seniors stop eating because they aren’t enjoying their food anymore and this can have several reasons that may lead to a lack of a desire to eat.
It’s painful to eat. Dentures that are not fitted properly or teeth (or lack of teeth) issues can make eating some foods too painful. This may cause your loved one to avoid almost all foods for fear of the pain he may experience. If you think the behavior is due to a mouth or tooth problem bring your loved one to his dentist to find a good solution for him.
It doesn’t taste good. Taste buds change throughout the years, and many elderly lose their sense of smell so suddenly, food just doesn’t taste as good as it did. Increasing spice levels or finding new tasty foods may be one way to get him excited about food again.
They’re Lonely
Eating alone can be depressing for some. Having a senior home care provider who can join him for at least one meal a day can help him eat more when he has a meal.
If any of these are causing your loved one to lose weight, have your senior care provider work with you to help him increase his calories throughout the day so he’s consuming a healthy amount each day to keep his body strong and healthy.