Providers of elderly home care services are in charge of a variety of aspects of their clients’ days, including feeding them three healthy meals. As an at-home senior care provider you may not have the last say in what your client is eating, but it’s a good idea to be knowledgeable about what their diet should look like. Though everyone is different, here are a few nutritional needs that every senior should be getting:

Water
Everyone needs water, but as people age their physical thirst for water decreases, so seniors should make a conscientious effort to drink more of it. Staying hydrated improves energy and can even help prevent things like arthritis and difficulty breathing.

Calcium
Arthritis becomes a bigger concern as people age, so calcium should be a bigger part of your client’s diet. Milk, yogurt and low-fat cheese are all easy ways to add more calcium, but if they don’t like those, calcium supplements are available as well.

Fiber
The body’s ability to properly digest nutrients decreases as a person ages, but a high-fiber diet can help move digestion along and prevent constipation. High in fiber foods include whole grains, beans and leafy vegetables.

B12
Elderly people don’t absorb as much vitamin B12 as their body needs, which can lead to mood, balance and memory changes. Very severe B12 deficiencies for long periods of time can even increase a person’s chance of dementia. Consider talking to your client about taking a multi-vitamin that contains vitamin B12.