Rtn.Raisa A.Sheikh
“Free your heart from hatred- Forgive, Free your mind from worries, Live simply and appreciate what you have, Give more, expect less.” – Anonymous
Be it a career woman, or a homemaker, cooking when topped with love and care speaks the very essence of womanhood. A mother dishes out her son’s favorite recipes, a wife cooks to appease her hubby’s taste buds. But how many of us really consider the palate of an aging member?
An elderly person undergoes a variable degree of physiological changes, the flow of saliva is decreased and he has lost his taste buds, he finds difficulty in swallowing his morsels. Moreover, if he has lost his complementary set of teeth, he is unable to chew his food. Eventually, he loses his taste and appetite, and these physiological changes lead to psychological disturbances and irritability.
With special love and care, a woman can play a vital role in making the aging member more comfortable and at ease. As Wordsworth said “The Child is the father of the Man”, let’s consider “A grandparent is always a child”, he may spill on the floor, bed-wet and want for attention. Special foods take little effort and less consumption of time, and it can make the person feel cared for.
The ideal diet of the elderly person should be nutritious and wholesome, which should include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins apart from dietary fibre. Soft diets with proteins like kichdi, or Iddlis for breakfast, those not suffering from diabetes, Jellies, fruit pulps, fruit juices, custards can be given. The number of small meals can be increased, as the intake of food is normally reduced. Non vegetarians can take well cooked and minced chicken, fish. Those unable to chew food, food can be mixed in the blender. One should also keep in mind that elders with Hypertension, cholesterol, heart diseases, obesity should alter their diets accordingly.
Sample Diet
Morning :1cup milk with complan/OR Tea/OR Cofee / Biscuits
Mid Morning :Soft Iddlis with light sambhar / Or Sevai / Or Kheer / Mosambi Juice /
Veg Salad
Lunch :Soup with mashed vegetables /Soft Cooked rice / Thin Daal
/Phulkas/Buttermilk/1
Banana
Evening :Tea with Biscuits
Dinner : Soup /Finely chopped Vegetables/ Soft Cooked Rice with light curry/Or
Kichdi/ Jelly/OR Custard
(The author has undergone a course in Nutrition Science from SNDT Women’s University, Pune)