Companionship is the Key Ingredient
It seems as though a new diet debuts every year or so, complete with menus and tips that promise a swift path to a healthier life. But for lonely older adults, few food plans focus on the one ingredient most miss: Companionship.
A companion who is involved in the meal process may minimize these risks for loneliness that can lead to poor nutrition, noted Home Instead, Inc., Gerontologist and Caregiver Advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan. Call it “the Companionship Diet”.
A companionship diet plan is more than a health trend, Hogan explained. It’s a mindset that offers an older adult a partner to help navigate the entire dining experience, from meal planning, to actually enjoying a meal together.
- Companionship has never been more relevant for today’s seniors. Quarantine and self-isolation orders left thousands of older adults at home alone during COVID-19. According to research, isolation can contribute to loneliness and nutritional risk.
- Canadian seniors who eat most of their meals alone are more than twice as likely to be lonely (48%) than seniors who eat most of their meals with others (20%), according to research conducted by the Home Instead network.
- Even before the coronavirus pandemic forced the increased isolation of so many, ~69% of lonely seniors in Canada (75% in the U.S.) already were not getting the right amount of at least one element of nutrition.
Organized and planned mealtimes are important to ensure aging adults are getting the nutrition they need. Loneliness and social isolation are among the roadblocks that prevent that goal from being achieved.
Overall, the meals lonely aging adults are eating, tend to be less healthy than those of seniors who aren’t lonely, with lonely Canadian seniors getting 111 more servings of fat compared to seniors who aren’t lonely, according to research conducted by the Home Instead network.
6 Ways to Improve Meals for Seniors
Following are 6 ways to help make an older adult part of family meals, according to Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Shannon Muhs and Home Instead, Inc., Gerontologist and Caregiver Advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan.
- Involve your loved one in the preparation process. If your loved one is up to it, ask him or her to arrive early. Perhaps your older loved one can still peel potatoes or frost the cake. If nothing else, suggest he or she sit and chat while you’re cooking, or give advice from the sidelines.
- Create a relaxed and positive atmosphere. Emphasize lighting, happy music and low stress. “Good vibes will help everyone involved want to repeat the experience,” Muhs said. “I think that’s key.”
- Plan simple meals. Check in with older adults before dinner and ask them to select a favourite recipe that you could make. Don’t make mealtimes too hard, especially if seniors have disabilities and dementia. “I think of finger foods, bite-size pieces, familiar comfort food,” Muhs said. “If chicken nuggets are the only chicken a loved one will eat, that’s appropriate. Combine with green beans and a starchy vegetable like potato chunks or a whole grain like whole wheat toast strips.”
- Connect any way possible. “Any time a family is around the same table engaging in conversation would be the most meaningful and rich experience,” Hogan said. That’s not always possible. “Even calling up a loved one at mealtime, putting the speaker phone on and chatting together are good options. Or try to make the same meal, such as spaghetti, and compare recipes and engage virtually or over the phone. FaceTime calls or Zoom meetings during mealtimes could help an older adult feel less isolated.
- Set aside time for your older loved one to share a story. Engage in meaningful conversations. “Ask loved ones about the foods they grew up loving or how supermarkets have changed over time,” Hogan said. “Reminisce and get to know the older adults and ask them about their past. Mealtime is a great time to reminisce. Make it an intergenerational experience. Pass down those family stories. A lot of that happens over meals shared at the dinner table. Those are ways seniors can feel more connected at mealtime. . . It helps the family gain a better appreciation for the rich life their loved one lived.”
- Make dinner a regular occurrence, no matter what. Make a commitment that can be counted on, even if it’s take-out or virtual, Muhs said. “I think that security needs to be there to signify companionship, because a true companion doesn’t let you down.” Making meals a regular occurrence will help keep seniors engaged.
