Every day of the year we can celebrate a person, an event or some type of food. It seems fitting that in the heat of the summer, July is designated as “ice cream’ month. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the entire month of July to be National Ice Cream Month. It is a great reminder that this frozen treat is built into the fabric of our society, since we use it for birthdays and celebrations all year long.

Ice cream is one food that is high in caloric intake, which can be important as our older family member’s appetite changes and decreases. Because malnutrition is a real concern, high caloric foods are one way to help combat this serious condition. 

It can be difficult to convince our older family members to sit down for a full meal. Since ice cream contains sugar, fat and salt, which are tastes people crave, it is one way to pack in calories that appeal to a changing palate. In addition, when we eat ice cream, the brain releases dopamine and the amino acid tryptophan which can increase serotonin and that makes people feel happy and calm.

Of course, a diet of ice cream is not practical or healthy, particularly if your older family member is a diabetic. Our Springpoint at Home Aging Life Care Advisors™ can help to find a meal plan that fits the palate of your older family member and includes the healthy proteins and fats to gain or keep weight steady. In addition, they will go grocery shopping to ensure healthy food is available in the home. 

People move less as they age and they may not feel hungry at mealtimes. One solution is to eat frequent, smaller meals throughout the day to keep energy and weight levels up. If your older family members are no longer able to prepare meals for themselves, our Springpoint at Home Certified Home Health Aides (CHHAs) can take over this task.

So, what would smaller meals look like? Think energy-dense foods like almonds, walnuts, and peanuts. If eating whole nuts is not possible, use peanut, almond or cashew butter on toast instead of whole nuts. Dried fruits like raisins or prunes can be added to cereal or pudding. High-fat dairy beyond ice cream includes full fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. Olives and dark chocolate are other good high caloric foods that may appeal to your older family member.

Tried and true proteins like red meats, chicken and fish should be part of a well-balanced diet based on smaller, more frequent meals.  Food that is rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber like bananas, oats, blueberries, sweet potatoes and quinoa can also help you gain or maintain a healthy weight.

Smoothies can pack nutrients into a small portion and may be more palatable because they are liquid. Packing a smoothie with avocado, nut butter or banana along with full fat milk or yogurt is a sure way to provide nutrient dense, healthy food for your aging family member.

But a lack of appetite isn’t the only reason they may not be eating. Depression and feeling isolated and loneliness often contributes to eating problems. Our CHHAs are there to not only help in meal preparation, but they also serve as companions, helping to mitigate these feelings. 

Of course, ice cream for a midday snack or at the end of a meal is not just yummy. It is a wonderful way to stay connected to those cherished family celebrations and it is even better when we can share this treat with another person.

For more information on Springpoint at Home and how we can help, please call 844-724-1777.