How to Ensure Seniors with Stomach Cancer Get Enough Nutrition

When a senior has stomach cancer the treatment is often to remove at least a portion of the stomach. In some cases, the entire stomach may be removed. That can make eating tricky. Both what the person eats and when they eat will make a difference in their ability to get enough nutrition.

Homecare in Water Mill NY: Seniors with Stomach Cancer

What Causes Eating Problems?

Eating and digesting food after treatment for stomach cancer can be more difficult for several reasons, including:

• Partial or complete removal of the stomach.
• Damaged or removed glands, nerves, and cells that aid in digestion.
• Damage or removal of the sphincters that control food coming in and out of the stomach.
• Treatment side effects.
• Appetite loss because of the cancer.
• Improper emptying of the stomach, which makes the person feel full.

The eating problems caused by stomach cancer and its treatment can result in weight loss and the inability to take in enough nutrients from foods.

Tips for Eating

If your aging relative is experiencing problems with eating, there are several ways you can help them to get enough nutrition. Some tips for better eating are:

-Try offering the older adult several small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.

-Pick foods that contain lots of protein and calories.

-Ensure the senior drinks enough throughout the day, but limit beverages with meals since they can fill the stomach. Also, it can help to eliminate carbonated drinks.

-If solid foods are a problem, offer nutritional drinks and shakes. Semi-solid foods like pudding and yogurt may also work.

-Keep nutritious snacks readily available so that the older adult can eat when they feel like it.

-Limit high fiber foods that fill the stomach faster.

When the doctor approves adding sugars, fats, and dairy back into the senior’s diet, do it slowly. The body may react differently to them than it did before surgery.

It can help to keep track of what the senior eats and how it affects them by writing down everything they eat in a notebook. Write down how the foods affect them as well. This will help you to spot foods that work well and those that don’t.

Home care can also help ensure your aging relative meets their nutritional needs. Home care providers can prepare small, healthy meals and snacks. They can even prepare them ahead of time so that they are easy to grab and eat whenever the senior feels like eating. Home care providers can also assist with tracking foods and reactions in the food journal.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Homecare in Water Mill, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.

Sources

http://www.cancer.ca

https://www.webmd.com/