Do you have trouble finding something to fix for your older loved one? Well, my mama does! If you struggle to fix the foods that are good for your loved one and they like enough to eat, please share with us and all our readers!

Daddy won’t eat what daddy doesn’t like and at 110 pounds he really needs to eat. Before his health issues, he weighed around 160. He’s now skin and bones.

So, what’s the trouble? Since Daddy lost his bladder to cancer, potassium is a no-no in his diet. The list of “can’t eats” include most of his favorite foods. He can’t eat beans and ham hocks, or potatoes or chocolate.

Dietary Challenges

And that’s just the beginning of his “can’t eats.” All the foods he grew up eating and has eaten all his life are basically something he shouldn’t have. At 85, I really don’t think he’s going to change much. He can eat the breakfast foods he likes such as bacon and eggs, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and sausage. A lot of “healthy” foods are also a no-no such as broccoli and dark greens; whole wheat anything is out. Going without these foods doesn’t bother my daddy a bit!

So, mama does the best she can. She uses lots of butter and cream to cook what he can eat. The doctors say his weight outweighs the harm of potassium. So, mama fudges at times. His go to “no-no” meal is potato soup. But sometimes it backfires. He can only eat a small portion and not often or the old urinary tract infection (UTI) rears its ugly head. That can mean a trip to the hospital!

So what hurdles do you go through trying to cook for your older loved one?

There are a lot of elders who have diabetes or at least are pre-diabetic, so sugar is a problem as well as carbohydrates. I hear a lot of people with diabetes have cravings for sweets. Do serving fresh fruits help with those cravings? Somehow I don’t think an apple or an orange can replace the cravings for some chocolate.

Compromise and Moderation

I really think life and our diets are about compromise and moderation. Let’s face it. When you get in your 80s and beyond, food is a huge happy place for anyone. You can’t live without ever eating the things you enjoy.

We’d love to hear your experiences finding the balance of foods you fix for your older loved ones. Please comment on your thoughts and we’ll share them with all our readers.

We all need to band together to be the best caretakers we can be. A shared load is always lighter!

Best wishes and kudos to all that you do in the name of love to help your older folks!