Getting older comes with life changes, such as retirement, relocating, or learning to manage changing family dynamics. The state of our mental health affects how we feel, how we think, and how we cope with change and stressful times in our lives. Memory loss, cognitive decline and the loneliness epidemic among seniors make them particularly vulnerable to mental health issues. Most commonly amongst seniors, we see conditions like anxiety, cognitive impairment and depression.

Not only do these conditions effect seniors mentally, but they can manifest themselves in physical ways as well. We know that stress of any kind can have negative effects on your physical health- like suppressing the immune system, decreasing our appetite, and even increasing risk for heart attack or stroke.

In this article, we have several tips for supporting our seniors as they age and maintaining mental health and well-being.

Exercise Your Body AND Your Brain

Physical exercise has tremendous health benefits- both to our bodies physically but also mentally. Exercise helps to manage stress and reduce anxiety by producing endorphins that keep us mentally sharp and feeling our best. Physical exercise can take many forms- such as daily walks, swimming, yoga or dance classes.

Just as the body needs physical activity to stay healthy, the brain needs stimulation to stay sharp. Studies have shown that “brain games” can help sharpen thinking skills like decision-making, reaction time and short-term memory. An activity that keeps the mind engaged and promotes problem-solving (such as crossword puzzles, sudoku, board/card games, etc.) are great examples, but other accessible activities may include reading, writing, playing an instrument, or learning a new language.

Ask for Help

As we get older, certain activities can become more difficult than they once were in our younger years. This could be anything from mowing the lawn, preparing meals, or even remembering to take prescribed medication. One of the best things (and often the most difficult) a struggling senior can do is ask for help, whether that is through a friend, family member or even a senior-care specialist. Asking for help not only gives us a feeling of community, but also protects seniors from dangers like falling or other forms of physical harm.

Discover a New Hobby

It’s never too late to try something new! Retirement is the perfect time for seniors to cross some things off their bucket-lists and pursue their lifelong dreams- or even trying something they’ve never done before. Think cooking classes, gardening, joining a music group or taking an art class!

Learning a new skill keeps our brains sharp and our minds engaged, and the relationships you can form through new hobbies help give seniors a sense of comfort and belonging.

Caring for a Pet

A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan linked owning a pet for 5 or more years delayed aging in the brain in adults 65 and older. Why? Pets not only can provide companionship to a lonely senior, but they promote physical activity and overall happiness. Studies have also shown that pets may provide health benefits like lowering blood pressure as well as reducing stress and symptoms of depression.

If having a pet is not feasible, volunteering at an animal shelter is a great way to connect with animals and help in your community.

Stay Connected

Time and distance can make it difficult for people to stay in touch with friends and family, especially as we age. After retirement, we often experience a shift in our daily lives, which is largely impacted by lack of social interaction that we may have been used to in the working world.

Studies have shown that nearly one-fourth of adults over the age of 65 feel lonely and/or socially isolated. Nowadays, technology has made it easier than ever to stay in touch with family and friends, through programs like social media, FaceTime and Skype- just to name a few. If technology seems tricky for the senior, encourage them to set up regular phone calls (or even write letters) to friends and family they want to stay in touch with.

As more and more meal services begin to pop up all over the county, you may find yourself asking: What is the best option for me or my loved one? We find that many people we talk to love the idea of having a professional chef come into their home to prepare customized and healthy meals for them, but have a hard time differentiating a private chef vs. a personal chef. While a personal chef and a private chef have several things in common, there are several distinctions between them.

PROS OF A PRIVATE CHEF:

• 3 freshly prepared meals each day
• Meals are often gourmet quality
• Often maintains organization of the kitchen, such as the pantry and where equipment is located

 3 FRESHLY PREPARED MEALS EACH DAY

A private chef will most often be in the home each day, which means they prepare each meal on demand including snacks. The chef will prepare the meal and plate the dish for you. Because they are highly-experienced, they can prepare a wide variety of different cuisines.

MEAL QUALITY

Most private chefs undergo formal training at a culinary school or have extensive experience working in 5-star hotels or fine dining restaurants. If you are a foodie or someone with a sophisticated palette, these chefs are trained to be able to cook just about anything.

MAINTAIN ORGANIZATION OF THE KITCHEN

Not only will a private chef be responsible for meal-preparation, but they also take care of responsibilities such as keeping your pantry stocked and organization of the kitchen.

CONS OF A PRIVATE CHEF:

• Expensive
• Often salaried employees
• They are in the home all day

EXPENSIVE

Possibly the biggest downside of hiring a private chef is that for someone with an “average” budget, private chefs are very costly. Private chefs are often employed by one individual, due to the fact that they are in the home each day preparing each and every meal. Rate of pay for a private chef varies in accordance to the amount of training they have, their location and level of experience.

OFTEN SALARIED EMPLOYEES

Private chefs will most commonly be paid on a salary instead of per service. According to Payscale, as of June 2021, a private chef earned approximately $71,526/year salary. However, annual salaries can range anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000+.

IN THE HOME ALL DAY

While some may like having a chef in their house on a daily basis from morning until evening, a good majority of people may not enjoy having someone in their home all day long. Some may prefer only having a service performed within the span of an hour or two.

PROS OF A PERSONAL CHEF:

• Less time in the home
• Affordable
• Will often use their own equipment

LESS TIME IN THE HOME

While a private chef is employed to be in the home on a daily basis from morning until night, a personal chef will prepare multiple meals for a week or even a month in advance in as little as 2 hours. The meals are then packaged with reheating instructions for you to heat up as you like.

AFFORDABLE

Because private chefs are most often salaried employees, the cost is significantly higher than a personal chef that comes into the home on a weekly or monthly basis. Most personal chefs will charge per service, and thankfully, you do not need to sacrifice food quality for the cost-chefs working for a personal chef service often have years of cooking experience. Charge per service is region specific, but most will be anywhere between $100-$300 per service plus the cost of groceries.

WILL OFTEN USE THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT

Some people may have reservations about someone else using their pots, pans and kitchen utensils, but fortunately many personal chefs have their own toolbox of cooking equipment that they bring to each service.

CONS OF A PERSONAL CHEF:

• Availability
• May only have a set menu that they work with
• Eating the same dish for multiple meals

AVAILABILITY

Since personal chefs often service multiple clients, they can sometimes have a trickier schedule to work with and will require planning your service days in advance. Also, these services are not always offered in smaller communities so you may have a difficult time finding a chef in a smaller town.

MAY ONLY WORK WITH A SET MENU

Many personal chefs have a menu database that they work with or a set list of items that they can make. While most chefs can be flexible with your dietary preferences, they may charge more for more expensive ingredients or more labor-intensive meal preparation.

EATING THE SAME DISH FOR MULTIPLE MEALS

The nature of a personal chef is that they come into the home once or twice a week (maybe even once a month) and prepare a few meal options with multiple portions to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for the client to reheat. A private chef can make you whatever you want when you want it, but with a personal chef you only have your pre-made meals to choose from until the chef comes back for the next visit.

As we age, we often see our appetites begin to decrease, which can happen for a variety of reasons- health issues, low mobility, gastrointestinal changes, etc. With that said, it can be tricky to encourage seniors to eat nutrient dense foods when they have little to no appetite to begin with. Often, we see people reaching for convenience foods that can be high in inflammatory fats, sugar and processed ingredients that can make a low-functioning metabolism decline even more rapidly. Our approach is to increase nutrient density- not portion size. In this article, we’ll be discussing some nutritious, simple food options that can be fed to seniors with a declining appetite.

Avocados

Avocados are mild in flavor, soft in texture and packed full of nutrients- most importantly heart healthy fats for healthy joints and optimal brain function. Avocados can be eaten mashed on a piece of whole grain toast or even plain with a sprinkle of salt.

Finely chopped or ground meat

A senior with a small appetite is likely to turn their nose at a large piece of meat, so we recommend using ground or finely chopped meat like beef, chicken or turkey in a dish. These allow for smaller portions, and ground meat can be more easily consumed by those who have difficulty chewing or digesting. We gravitate towards options like meatballs, chicken or tuna salad with herbs and seasonings.

Eggs

Eggs are an inexpensive, widely available high-protein option for seniors- and most always have a carton in their refrigerator. Eggs can be prepared in a variety of ways- scrambled, or even hard-boiled in the fridge for an easy snack.

Fruit smoothies

A commonality that we see among seniors is that with a declining appetite, they often reach for unhealthy foods that are high in sugar. Fruit smoothies give the benefit of curving a sweet tooth (from the naturally occurring sugars in fruit) while providing real food nourishment. We even like to sneak veggies like spinach into smoothies for an extra superfood boost…they’ll barely taste it!

Full fat dairy sources (Yogurt, soft cheeses, etc.)

Full fat dairy sources such as yogurt and soft cheeses (think cottage cheese and ricotta) are both appealing to the taste buds and easy to eat. For a senior with minimal nutrient intake, we prefer full fat dairy for the added boost of protein. For a touch of sweetness, you can add a small scoop of fruit preserves or stewed fruit.

For a large majority of the senior population, buying, storing and preparing food can be a real challenge. It can be easier to just avoid it all together, but this can lead to symptoms of malnourishment. By hiring a personal chef service like Chefs for Seniors, this can take the burden off of our elderly loved ones and provide them with tempting and delicious meals. We know that appetite is stimulated by the senses- smell, taste, sight and even sound! Let the aromas of homemade meals waft through the home and the sound of sizzling veggies and bubbling sauces on the stove promote positive associations with meal time- they’ll even look forward to it!