Your dad had a heart attack. It’s drastically changing his diet, and he’s struggling with the changes. One of the things he misses the most is dessert. His morale is low and you want to change things. What can you or your Home Care Services provider do to help your dad be happier? He wants to stick to usual meal routines. Are there ways to serve him desserts that are acceptable?

Focus on Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is an ideal dessert if your dad needs to have something after dinner. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and peaches have relatively low sugar counts. He can snack on them for dessert.

Make a dough out of almond flour and almond milk. Roll it out and top it with sliced peaches or apples. Bake that until the dough is set and the fruit is softened.

You can make an ice cream substitute using frozen cubes of almond milk, frozen banana, and berries. Blend it in a food processor and serve that in place of ice cream.

Blend silken tofu or mashed avocado with melted stevia-sweetened chocolate chips and a splash of vanilla extract. It makes a quick, healthier chocolate mousse. Serve that with some fresh berries on top.

Learn to Prepare No-Sugar Versions of His Favorites

What if your dad wants cookies? Soak some dates in water. Puree them and add in some old-fashioned oats, walnuts, and cocoa powder. Roll that into balls and store in the refrigerator. It’s a convincing take on no-bake cookies.

Mash a banana and mix it with cocoa powder and almond flour. It’s a handy, healthier way to make brownies.

Applesauce and mashed prunes are other ways to create healthier baked desserts. Try to pair the fruit you’re using to sweeten with plenty of fiber, such as oatmeal flour or whole oats.

Ask If Your Dad Can Work With a Dietitian

Start by asking his doctor to work with a dietitian. This is the best way to get information on what he should and shouldn’t eat. Much of the change will be to avoid saturated fat, too much salt, and added sugar.

It may help if he learns to limit the amount he eats, instead of skipping it completely. If he’s miserable because he can’t have his favorite desserts anymore, let him have them in smaller portions every now and then. Small changes are often more manageable than quitting completely.

Does he struggle with meal preparation? Is he having a hard time reading the fine print on labels in stores? Hire companion care services to pair him with a caregiver for shopping trips. With companion care at home, he’ll feel supported when shopping or planning meals.

How do you arrange companion care at home for him? Call an agency and talk about your dad’s health issues and struggles. Have caregivers help him with shopping, errands, meals, and housekeeping to ensure he enjoys stress-free living.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Orinda, CA, and the surrounding area, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

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Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

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