As your elderly loved one ages even more, they might experience some changes to their mouth and nose. Not only that, but there are some interesting facts that you, as a family caregiver, might want to know about aging with the mouth and nose.

Less Sensitive

Have you been over to your elderly loved one’s house when they are eating? Have they stated that their food tastes bland? Maybe they have eaten this same meal or food plenty of times before and never commented on it being too bland. This is likely because of the changes in their taste buds. As people get older, their taste buds aren’t as sensitive as they used to be. This is more of the case with salty and sweet foods.

Not Detecting Odors

When your elderly loved one is eating, you may notice they eat things that are spicier than they would usually eat. If this is happening, it could be because they can’t smell things as well as they did in the past. When people get older, they often can’t detect odors very well. This also means that they have different taste sensations, too. Due to this happening, you and senior care providers might see your elderly loved one eating foods they would have never eaten before.

Dry Mouth

Did you know that certain medications can cause dry mouth? Many senior citizens have multiple medications they have to take. If one or more of the medications that your elderly loved one is taking cause dry mouth, this could become a problem. The less saliva they have in their mouth, the sorer and irritated their mouth is likely to be. If this becomes too much of a problem, you or a senior care provider may need to take your elderly loved one to the doctor to see if they can take a different medication instead.

Swallowing Difficulties

There are many things that can cause swallowing difficulties for the elderly. Ill-fitting dentures, dry mouth, broken teeth, and missing teeth can all lead to issues with swallowing food. If you or a senior care provider noticed your elderly loved one has trouble chewing and/or swallowing their food, determining the cause is the first step to finding a solution. In the meantime, you may need to cut up their food smaller.

Conclusion

These are some of the things that you may want to know about the mouth and nose changes as your elderly loved one gets even older. Now that you know about these changes, you can provide better care to your elderly loved one from this point on.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Care in Eden Prairie, MN please contact the caring staff at Great Oak Senior Care, Inc. today. (952) 767-4925

Sources

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004004.htm

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Keith Dahlen

Founder/ President at Great Oak Senior Care

I started Great Oak Senior Care with my father in my heart as my motivation to improve the quality of life for seniors by offering support and services to families facing the same difficult situation. My father’s wish was to stay in his home and my goal is to make this wish a reality for families and seniors in the Greater Minneapolis and St. Paul areas.

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