Senior Meal Preparation for Seniors
Planning, shopping and cooking at home, and company at the table, for an older adult who no longer cooks regularly for themselves. Post what you need for free and hire a caregiver directly.
What a caregiver who cooks can help with
- Planning meals around tastes and any diet the doctor set
- Grocery shopping and putting it away
- Cooking, and making extra for the days between visits
- Company at meals, and noticing if appetite changes
- Cleaning up the kitchen
- Checking the fridge for food past its date
What to know before hiring a caregiver who cooks
Meal help is non-medical and is often the first help a family arranges. A caregiver can follow a diet the doctor has set but does not design medical diets.
Your Area Agency on Aging, found through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116), can tell you about home-delivered and group meal programs near you.
Questions to ask
- What do you like to cook, and can you follow a special diet?
- Can you shop on the way and keep receipts?
- Will you eat with my parent, or only cook?
- How do you notice and report a change in appetite?
Senior Meal Preparation by state
Each state page lists its cities. Each city page shows local Census figures and the Medicare-certified providers nearby.
Senior Meal Preparation: common questions
Can a caregiver cook for a special diet?
Yes, if the diet is written down: low salt, soft foods, diabetic-friendly meals and so on. Designing a medical diet is a job for a doctor or dietitian.
Are there meal programs for seniors?
Most areas have home-delivered and group meal programs for older adults, run through the local Area Agency on Aging. Find yours through the Eldercare Locator or by calling 1-800-677-1116.
Find meal preparation for someone you love
Posting is free and takes about ten minutes. Caregivers near you can see it as soon as it is live.
Create your free family accountLooking for caregiving work instead? Create a free caregiver profile.
