In training students to make meal plans for an elderly person with diabetes, the University of Texas Health Science Center reminds them that proper nutrition is the cornerstone of diabetes management. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that most forms of the condition are a result of poor eating habits that lead to obesity. The nutrients in food break down into glucose that is carried by insulin to the cells throughout the body. Too much glucose in the body results in a breakdown of the insulin process and results in diabetes and associated complications, such as eye, kidney, heart and nerve damage.
Step 1
Understand that it often takes a lifetime of poor eating habits to develop the disease and that elderly people do not always respond well to huge changes in their lives, especially in diets. Introduce new dishes slowly. Try to find healthy alternatives to cooking their favorite foods. Consider baking a chicken instead of frying it, lacing vegetables with healthy olive oil instead of butter, or baking oatmeal cookies with artificial sweeteners---whose sugar substitute cannot be digested by the body and, therefor, don't add to daily sugar intake.
Step 2
Find out what medications the person is taking and when he takes each pill. Diabetic meal plans must balance the food eaten with the daily medicines to maintain proper insulin levels. Be sure to note other medications, such as those for high blood pressure or pain, that may counteract with various food and timing of meals.
Step 3
Learn the diabetes food pyramid, which provides recommended daily serving sizes for each food group. Mix and match the senior's favorites based on the best portions for diabetes control. The minimum daily recommendations would provide about 1,600 calories per day. Depending on the activity level of the elderly person, she should eat about 1,800 to 2,200 calories each day to maintain a proper weight.
Step 4
Involve the senior in shopping and meal preparation as much as possible if your charge is ambulatory. The ADA reports that being active plays a large role in managing diabetes symptoms. Even small steps taken daily can help to keep insulin levels low and increase the person's quality of life. Get creative with seniors who are less mobile by bringing them to their neighborhood vegetable stand or fruit market where they can socialize with their friends. Look for cooking classes or dietitian seminars provided by local community centers and take the senior to keep her involved in her meal planning while getting out of the house and moving around.
Tips and Warnings
- Sneak healthy whole grains and nutrients into meals. Foods, such as flaxseed and fish oil, high in omega-3 fatty acids can be added to soups and casseroles without alerting the senior that he is about to try something he's never had before.
- Watch for leftover food on the plates when cleaning up. If you see a dish that's consistently left untouched, try another recipe to make sure the senior is receiving enough of that particular food group on a regular basis.
Things You'll Need
- Cooking alternatives
- List of medications
- Diabetic food pyramid
