Are there good natural supplement drinks available for the elderly?
My father (88) has no energy, doesn't eat very much, sleeps a lot and is always complaining that he has no "energy". Has anyone tried smoothies with protein powder added for an elderly dementia patient?
Has he had blood work to rule out a low blood count, diabetes, vitamin B12 deficiency etc? We tried adding protein powders to drinks and found it to be constipating. Protein is so easy to obtain in real foods such as nuts, eggs and dairy that supplements really shouldn't be needed. There are hundreds of recipes for smoothies made with yogurt, milk or almond milk, nut butters and a variety of fruits and veggies that are calorie dense and nutritious all on their own. And don't be afraid to use boost, ensure etc if he likes them, just make sure they are used as a supplement and don't replace the real food in his diet.
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We tried adding protein powders to drinks and found it to be constipating. Protein is so easy to obtain in real foods such as nuts, eggs and dairy that supplements really shouldn't be needed. There are hundreds of recipes for smoothies made with yogurt, milk or almond milk, nut butters and a variety of fruits and veggies that are calorie dense and nutritious all on their own.
And don't be afraid to use boost, ensure etc if he likes them, just make sure they are used as a supplement and don't replace the real food in his diet.