The last thing your senior might be worried about as she deals with a cancer treatment program might be eating anything, much less healthy food choices. But focusing on nutrients can help her immensely as she fights this battle.

Her Body Needs Nutrients

Every person’s body needs nutrients, but cancer patients are particularly in need of nutrient-dense foods. Your elderly family member might not have focused much on this in the past, but it becomes a priority as her body fights harder to beat the cancer. Protein helps to rebuild body tissue and keep your senior’s immune system powered. Healthy fats and carbohydrates are sources of energy for various body systems.

She May Be Losing Weight

Both cancer itself and the treatments for cancer can cause your elderly family member to lose weight. Her doctor may recommend foods that are high in calories as well as high in nutrients in order to help her to maintain her weight. Working with a dietician can help in planning meals that mean your senior’s nutritional needs.

Nutrition Helps Her to Feel Better Overall

When your senior’s body is undernourished, she’s likely to just feel bad in general. Proper food and water keeps your senior hydrated, which is important because every organ system needs water in order to function. Proper hydration also affects blood pressure, which is crucial. If your senior’s blood sugar drops because she’s not eating, she feels that impact in every area of her life.

Eating Well Helps Her to Recover

Focusing on nutritious foods helps your elderly family member to rebuild her immune system and hopefully to heal better and to enjoy a more rapid recovery. With a stronger immune system, your senior may be better equipped to reduce the risk of developing an infection. That’s something that you want for her at any time, but especially during cancer treatments.

She Might Fare Better with Side Effects

Overall, having the nutrition and the calories that she needs to support her body can help your elderly family member to mange the side effects of cancer treatments more readily. This greatly depends on the treatment that your senior is choosing to fight her cancer, of course.
Something else that can help, especially when it’s just too exhausting or time consuming to even think about healthy food, is to have home care providers helping your senior with meals and everything associated with food.

If you are considering elderly care in Almena, MI, for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at Fresh Perspective Home Care at (269) 329-4717. We are here to help!

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Shelly Nutter

Area Vice President at Fresh Perspective Home Care

Shelly Nutter has been a driving force in the Fresh Perspective Home Care team since 2008 and is currently the Area Vice President. She began caring for others at a young age and has never looked back. Her strong faith and family values drives her passion for helping others. Shelly says she never found a career that fulfilled a "bigger purpose" her previous jobs until begin her home care career with Fresh Perspective Home Care. "Here I found growth, purpose, and a career to match my personal ambition of making a difference in the lives of others." Shelly is native to the Kalamazoo/Portage, Mi area and has been married for over 25 years Together they have three children that she believes have benefited from watching Mom work hard to help others, advocate for others, and give to others. She also holds a bachelors degree in Accounting and an associates degree in Business Management.

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