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Why Doesn't Food Taste Good to Your Senior Anymore?

Posted: 11/30/2017 7:21 AM by Interim HealthCare
Your elderly family member may have gradually started to mention that food just doesn't taste good to her anymore and that can present some problems. When food isn't flavorful or even remotely good anymore, your elderly family member may not be as willing to eat. Finding the cause can sometimes help you find a solution.

Her Sense of Smell Changes
As your elderly family member grows older her sense of smell changes very slowly. Smells that were once pleasant and even enjoyable may be ones that she's later unable to smell at all. This can happen so gradually that your aging family member has no idea that this is even happening. Incidentally, this change can also be the one that may make seniors reluctant to bathe because they don't detect that they are developing body odor.

Her Sense of Taste Changes, Too
Smell and taste are two senses that are very closely aligned. Because of that, your senior may find that both taste and smell don't function the way that they used to for her. If only her sense of taste is affected, your senior might enjoy "bumping up" the flavor profiles in some of her favorite dishes. This may mean using just a little more herbs and spices to accomplish the task.

Side Effects from Medication Can Be the Culprit
Many medications have less well-known side effects that influence how your senior tastes the foods and drinks that she ingests. If you suspect that might be the case for your aging adult, then talking with her doctor and her pharmacist can help you to find a solution. It's possible that a dosage change or even another, similar medication can help.

Health Conditions Can Be to Blame
Depending on the health conditions that your senior has, those can influence whether she can properly taste her foods. Some issues, such as dental problems, can be corrected and then allow your senior to enjoy eating her favorite meals again. Others may have permanently altered how your elderly family member tastes her food from here on out.

When you find recipes and foods that do taste good for your senior, make sure that other family members and other people who help her, such as home care providers, know just how to prepare food for her.

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