Meal & Snack Preparation

Many of the San Francisco families we talk to stress the important role that mealtimes play in their lives. Meals are as much a social experience as a physiological necessity. Our caregivers are happy to prepare a meal for a client when they wish, or even join with them to prepare a meal or other creation of joy such as a cake or snack. Many times they will enjoy the meal with the client, swapping stories or just sharing the news of the day.

Ensuring that our elder clients get their proper nutrition is a frequent topic that comes up during our initial in-home assessments with families. The son or daughter may be concerned that their parent is not eating regularly, or simply not focused on good nutritional habits. Malnutrition can lead to poorer health, and in some cases result in hospitalization. All too often we hear of cases where this is evident amongst the San Francisco senior population.

Our caregivers are trained in good nutritional habits, and can guide clients towards healthier eating options. Many of the Aviva caregivers have specialized training in senior nutrition and meal planning. They have studied the impact of diet changes on the body, as well as psychological factors that impact regular consumption. We train our staff to ensure that they know how to work with seniors that exhibit a reduced appetite due to specific mediations, a slower metabolism, or mental health issues. While we work with our clients and families to ensure that proper meals are prepared, we also know the importance of close communication with our clients’ physicians, who may have previously setup specific dietary guidelines that need to be followed.

The process begins by the Aviva team discovering what you like to eat, how often, and whether or not you enjoy cooking & baking. We’re happy to take you grocery shopping, or collect the food you need for you. We know that we don’t know everything when it comes to the kitchen, so occasionally our clients will even show us a new recipe or favorite food. Whether it’s enjoying a serving of comfort food, or discovering a new, light-fare meal together, mealtime with our caregivers becomes a fun experience!

Aviva In-Home Care’s meal and snack preparation services include:

• Preparing meals and light snacks, with client if they desire
• Grocery shopping, with or without the client
• Ensuring the kitchen is clean following the meal
• Focusing on healthy diet meals (by request), which may include low sodium or diabetic diets
• Monitoring food freshness
• Monitoring the nutritional value of clients’ diets, including protein levels