Seniors and Food Safety
Rhode Island Senior Care enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
When seniors shop and prepare their own meals at home, they need to be aware of safety issues. If foods are not stored properly, they could go bad. Also, when preparing raw foods, seniors need to make sure they are taking the necessary steps to prevent any cross-contamination, which could cause serious illness. The following list contains some great food safety tips for seniors.
1. Always wash your hands often when cooking and handling any raw foods. Make sure to wash before, during and after preparation. This will reduce the risks of cross-contamination and will help ensure food is being prepared safely.
2. After shopping, be sure to store foods separately. Never keep raw and cooked foods stored together. When preparing meals, do not use the same cutting board or knife on meats and poultry on breads and vegetables.
3. Always make sure that foods are cooked to the proper temperature. Undercooked foods can pose a health threat to seniors. Consuming raw and undercooked foods, such as meats and eggs, could increase the chances of illness.
4. When buying perishable foods, make sure they are put away quickly. Never leave perishable foods on the counter. Place them in the refrigerator as soon as you return home to make sure they do not spoil.
Source: eatright.org
Image: organic.kysu.edu
Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.
