Many factors affect weight loss among the elderly, such as medical conditions, medications with appetite-suppressing side effects, smell and taste changes, and mobility limitations. Older people may also eat less due to dentures or vision problems. If your elderly loved one needs to gain weight, use these tips as part of a comprehensive assisted living care plan.

How to Help an Older Family Member Gain Weight

1. Encourage Consumption of High-Calorie Foods

Go shopping with your elderly loved one or talk to the individual’s assisted living facility about incorporating more high-calorie foods. Avocados, eggs, olive and coconut oils, nut butters, whole-grain starches, and full-fat dairy products contain healthy fat and protein to help your loved one gain weight. Protein also assists muscle mass gain when it’s paired with an exercise routine.

2. Go for Small & Frequent Meals

Create a daily menu that includes five or six short meals three to four hours apart. Older people often cannot handle big meals due to a medication-related lack of appetite or the inability to prepare large amounts of food because of arthritis. Small, nutrient-dense meals are less overwhelming and seem more like snacks. Consider preparing dishes for the week that you can store in the freezer and refrigerator for instant reheating in the microwave.

3. Get Mood Disorder-Related Help

Schedule a physical examination if you believe the weight loss is due to a mood disorder. Depending on the type of disorder, it may benefit your loved one to work with a therapist, make medication adjustments, or increase physical activity frequency.

4. Prepare More Soft Foods & Smoothies

Accommodate dentures or mouth sensitives with soft foods and smoothies. Yogurt and eggs, avocados, and nut butters offer nutrients and calories—without chewing difficulties. Get creative with smoothies as well, such as adding healthy fat to them with milk and flaxseed. Add seeds to yogurt for extra omega-3 and protein boosts. 

GrandeVille Senior Living Community offers the assisted living care that residents throughout the Finger Lakes region of New York need to thrive. Serving all of Monroe County and parts of Wayne, Ontario, Orleans, LIvingston, and Genesee counties, this privately run, family-owned facility offers three care options—assisted living, enhanced assisted living, and memory care. Call (585) 621-6160 today to schedule a tour, or learn more about their services online.