Elderly Care Observances: National Soup Month
January 14, 2016Elderly Care in Rockland NY
In your role as a family caregiver for your aging parents you are likely always looking for the best tools and equipment to help you handle your care tasks in the most effective way possible. When
it comes to these tools you probably think of things like your smart phone, a home security system, mobility aids, extra lighting, and accessible appliances and devices. One tool that might not immediately come to mind, and that you may not have ever considered as a tool in the first place, is soup. While delicious and satisfying when you think of it just as a food, when you start to think of this classic meal as a true tool in your elderly care journey with your seniors you will find that cooking up a big pot of your favorite recipe can do much more on a cold winter day than just warm you up and fill your heart with nostalgia.
January is National Soup Month, the perfect opportunity for you to change how you look at soup and turn it into a powerful and beneficial tool in your care journey.
Some of the benefits that your aging loved ones can get from enjoying more soup on a regular basis include:
• Hydration. Getting enough fluids is critical to health and wellbeing, but not everybody loves the idea of drinking down eight glasses of water in a day. Fortunately, the amount of hydration in your body is not just about how much water you drink, but the culmination of all of the fluids you consume in a day. Eating a bowl of soup, particularly a broth based soup, is a delicious way to give your body a boost of hydration when you do not want to drink another glass of water or just want to make sure that you are getting enough fluids.
• Fiber. Dietary fiber supports healthy digestion and improves overall health, including lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and protecting against cardiovascular disease and stroke. Bumping up fiber also helps to give you a feeling of satiety so that you eat less and stay satisfied longer. Soups containing pasta, grains, and veggies are fantastic sources of fiber, as well as vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients that your body needs.
• Fullness. If part of your elderly care plan for this year is helping them trim a few pounds, adding a bowl of soup before lunch and dinner is a great way to speed them along toward their goals. Eating soup fills you up, cutting down on how much you eat at the actual meal so you are less likely to overindulge on fat and calories in the entrée. Soup also keeps you fuller longer so you are not going to reach for a snack too soon after your meal.
• Convenience. When your seniors or their elderly health care services provider want to make a quick lunch or dinner, there are few things more convenient than pulling out a container of soup. Homemade versions are far lower in sodium and higher in nutrition than canned versions, and you can make a massive pot very inexpensively, meaning you have plenty to store in the freezer for fast and easy meals throughout the winter.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Rockland, NY, contact Star One Home Care and Medical Staffing at 718-733-2222 or 914-362-0899. Call today!
Patricia Coffie, RN, BSN, MFA
Patricia started her nursing career 19 years ago at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and research institution in New York City, and since then has gained experience in Adult Intensive Care Units (ICU) , Pediatric Care (PICU ), Operating Room (OR) , mental health and community settings. She later moved into director of nursing roles, where she obtained extensive experience in leading and developing the nursing profession. She also pioneered good partnership working with other health care organizations, as well as social services, and the wider community.
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