Family Meals add to Health and Well being
As we turn the calendar to November, conversation has already started among family and friends about holiday meals and gatherings – Who is hosting this year? What time will we start eating? What can I bring for the meal? Should I try this new recipe? ….
In our society today, many seniors experience issues that revolve around food and the lack of or reduced amount of family and friend meal opportunities. Mealtime gatherings have so many long reaching positive aspects. Sharing a meal allows for stimulating conversation. Seniors tend to make better nutritional choices and eat more when dining with others. Mealtime provides a sense of belonging which increases a person’s self- esteem. Proper nutrition is vital to maintain good health. Older adults who are more socially connected are known to feel better and have better mental health.
Seniors who live alone – often dine alone and are isolated from stimulating conversation and the enjoyment of sharing a meal with others. The seniors can suffer from malnutrition thus increasing nutritional risks. Loneliness and social isolation can be contributing factors for depression and other mental health issues. A poor nutritional status can add to increasing symptoms of chronic disease, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, resulting in more trips to health care providers. One reason seniors may eat alone is they are unable to keep their clothes clean while dining due to a disease process, disability, or aging issue, this is embarrassing. Older adults with this issue often choose to dine alone to avoid spilling on themselves while sharing a meal with others.
One of the main reasons we started Live On Goods was to design a clothing protector for adults that would allow them to keep their clothes clean and enjoy dining with friends and family. The bonTop is a stylish clothing protector that is functional, has an easy on/off front opening and a catch-all pouch. It is completely water proof and stain resistant too!
As the holidays approach and you are planning your family gatherings, it can be overwhelming if you are a member of the sandwich generation and have an aging parent who requires extra care. As you plan, keep in mind how to allow seniors to participate in these memorable occasions. Cooking and preparing the meal together as a family builds stronger ties among multiple generations. Consider what a child and a senior can do together – setting the table, making a recipe, coming up with conversation starter questions. It is a great idea to plan ahead, be realistic about what is possible, divide the responsibilities so no one person is taking on too much and consider creating new “traditions” that will allow the meal and time together to be enjoyable for all.
We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving gathering full of sharing, good conversation and delicious food!
Maria, Gretchen, Laura and Helen
