Nutrition
Nutrition for caregivers
Two jobs here: feeding someone who is ill, and not forgetting to feed yourself.
CaregiverFamily
Feeding someone safely
- Sit them fully upright, and stay upright for 30 minutes after eating.
- Sit at their eye level rather than standing over them.
- Small spoonfuls; check the mouth is empty before the next one.
- Follow the prescribed texture and fluid thickness exactly.
- Stop and get a swallow reassessment if they cough, gurgle or their voice goes wet.
- Allow far more time than seems reasonable — rushing causes choking.
When appetite has gone
- Offer small portions on small plates; a full plate defeats people before they start.
- Serve the largest meal at the time of day their appetite is best.
- Fortify rather than increase volume: milk powder, cream, cheese, butter, oil, nut butter.
- Offer nourishing drinks between meals, not with them.
- Do not turn meals into a battleground. Pressure reduces intake in every study of it.
- Treat the cause: pain, nausea, constipation, mouth thrush, depression.
Preventing dehydration
- Offer a drink every time you enter the room, rather than waiting for thirst.
- Count all fluids: soup, jelly, ice lollies, milk in tea.
- Watch for dark urine, dry mouth, confusion, dizziness on standing.
- Use straws, spouted cups or teaspoons if a glass is difficult.
- In heart failure or kidney disease, follow the prescribed restriction rather than pushing fluids.
Monitoring weight
- Weigh weekly, at the same time, in similar clothing.
- Report a loss of 5% of body weight over 3–6 months.
- Note if clothes, rings or dentures have become loose — often noticed before the scale.
- In heart failure, weigh daily and follow the fluid action plan.
And you
- Eat something with protein before noon, every day.
- Drink water at every medication round you do for someone else.
- Keep food that requires no cooking within reach for the days you cannot face it.
- Do not live on their leftovers and biscuits — it is the classic caregiver diet and it wrecks energy.
- If you have lost weight since caring began, that is a warning sign about the load, not just about food.
Where to go next
Afya Companion offers education and self-help support. It does not diagnose, treat or replace care from your doctor, nurse, psychologist or dietitian. If something in your health changes, speak to your care team.