When your elderly family member learns that she has COPD, she may not realize that what she’s eating can help or hurt some of her symptoms. Making even small changes to how and to what she eats can make a big difference.

Avoid Some of the Bigger Culprits

When it comes to eating healthily while dealing with COPD, you may want to help your senior to avoid or to cut back on ingredients such as dairy, salt, sugar, and foods that tend to create gas. Dairy can contribute to mucus production, which is especially dangerous for someone with COPD. Salt can be a problem, too, because it can cause your senior to retain water, which can also affect her ability to breathe.

Stick to Water as Much as Possible

Water is the best option in order to keep your senior hydrated, but she might not enjoy it as much as she’d like. If possible, your elderly family member needs to avoid carbonated beverages because, like foods that contribute to gas production, they can create abdominal pressure that constricts her lungs. Look for ways to make water tastier without adding ingredients that cause problems in other ways.

Aim for a Balanced Diet

By and large, what you’re really looking for is a balanced diet for your aging adult. Foods that are full of vitamins and nutrients are going to help her body keep itself as healthy as possible. If you’re having trouble figuring out what types of foods are best for her now that she’s got COPD, consider working with a nutritionist. They can help you to put together a plan for eating that is delicious and that won’t contribute to painful symptoms.

Eating out Is Still Possible

If your aging family member is a fan of eating out often, she can likely still do so. The key is to read menus and ask questions at the restaurant. The more information that you can gather about the food itself, what’s involved in its preparation, and how it’s served the better you’ll get at determining what fits in with your senior’s new way of eating.

Make sure that you and your elderly family member talk to her doctor about what she’s experiencing in regards to COPD. If changing her diet feels like too much work for your senior, consider hiring elderly care providers to help with everything from shopping to meal preparation and cooking. Reducing some of the workloads can make even smaller changes more bearable.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Daly City, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today. 1.855.986.6647

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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