Rules for "how to feed a senior..."

Rule #4: Make It Count

Late in life, after years of hard work, the least we can do is help our seniors feel like their time has been worth it.  There is no reason to reserve that fine china for some special occasion because this is the occasion!  If these days are final hours, then let's make it the grand finale! 

The day will come when I might also be too feeble to prepare my own meals, pick-out my own clothes or retain any capacity to make my own choices.   Relying on the hand of another can easily strip one’s identity as decisions are no longer of personal preference but rather the selections made by a caregiver. If and when that day comes I hope those giving hands carry tact and grace, with a healthy serving of flair and dignity so that I might enjoy the finality that lay before me.  We all need a little something to look forward to and ideally it will be sweet right up to the end!

Rules for "how to feed a senior..."

Rule #3: Size Matters

As senior mobility decreases and daily activities become limited, it is not surprising that appetites wane as the body has a reduced demand for calories.  Throw in the facts that appetites are often suppressed due to side effects of prescription drugs , anxiety around dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), weakening teeth and changing taste-buds, and it is no wonder that eating is no longer a thrill like days past.  However, it is still important that seniors consume enough calories to sustain their days, and more importantly, get the essential nutrients that allow their bodies' to thrive regardless of age.

Portion control plays an important role when you are assembling the senior plate.  Even though quantity has decreased, the nutrient density and diversity is as important as ever.  Protein, carbohydrates and fat all need to find there way on to the plate and ideally in each bite.  Sure, an older person might feel full after some mashed potatoes and therefore as a caregiver, it is easy to think you have done your job but if you are not providing meals that are a well-rounded composite of macronutrients then your are not enabling their body to preform at its optimal level of health.  Shoot for quality while aiming for comprehensive meals and forgo some of those concerns around how much they are eating. It's not the volume of food that is going to contribute to their well-being, but rather, the nutrient load they will receive with each bite. 

In case you are curious about what foods have the highest nutrient density you can check the the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index here which is a bit like like a report card for evaluating the micronutrients in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc.  It's not a complete list but it's a start and a great place for developing the foundation of how to build the senior plate. 

Yogurt-Plum Cake Recipe

My father has an insatiable sweet tooth.  He starts jonesing for ice cream at 10:30 AM and when my back is tuned he will polish off a carton of Breyers before anyone else even knew there was some  in the freezer.  No joke, it won't last 24 hours!  And so, this cake...  

Well endowed with fruit and yogurt this cake at least has some nutritional value.  Way better than ice cream that's for sure.  Why?  Because it's homemade!  Author, Michael Pollan, makes a great case for this in his book "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual".  His forth rule encourages you to eat all the junk food you want as long as you made it.  Not sure this applies to my dad since technically I am the one who baked this but the point is that scratch cooking is comprised of ingredients not "nutrients" and often safer and more wholesome for the consumer.  Yes, ingredients are comprised of nutrients however when nutrients themselves are listed on packaging you have shifted your diet from actual food to synthesized food matter.  Those things are not food.  They are food like substances and you are cheating yourself each time they go down the hatch.  Now, explaining that to my dad with the Breyers has yet to register.  Basically, I need and ice cream maker!

Ingredients:

· 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

· 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

· 1/2 cup granulated sugar

· 3 large eggs

· 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

· 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (plain, although experimenting with vanilla might be fun!!!)

· Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

• Cream the butter and sugars. Then stir in the eggs and vanilla and mix well

• In a separate bowl combine the other dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda)

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.

• Fold in the yogurt and pour into a greased 8 inch baking pan.

• Arrange your sliced fruit on top and then bake for 30-45ish minute till the center is firm using the toothpick test.

• Once cooled completely you can top with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.

Enjoy!