Gentle Foods for Seniors After Abdominal Surgery
After abdominal surgery for colorectal cancer or another serious gastrointestinal (GI) condition, seniors often need to follow a special diet while the digestive tract heals. Your parent’s doctor might prescribe a liquid diet, soft and bland foods, or recommend avoiding high-fiber foods for several days or weeks after surgery.
Family caregivers and seniors have a lot to manage in the recovery period, between pain management and following the prescribed nutrition regimen—on top of everyday responsibilities at home. Visiting Angels professional caregivers can help lighten your load with non-medical home care services, including meal planning and preparation as part of your senior’s care plan.
Here are some common instructions to expect and ways our team can help support your senior after GI surgery.
Commonly Recommended Foods Following GI Surgery
Digesting food can be difficult in the days or weeks following GI surgery due to the procedure or medications that slow down the digestive tract. Often, doctors recommend bland, easy-to-digest foods that are gentle on the belly and help nourish and heal the body. Some of these include:
- Applesauce
- Canned fruit
- Cooked vegetables
- Lean protein (tofu, egg whites, canned tuna)
- Low-fat dairy (skim milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese)
- Mashed potatoes
- Toast
- Tofu
- White rice
Talk with your loved one’s doctor for specific dietary recommendations and instructions following surgery.
Communicate the care plan to your Visiting Angels office—our caregivers can help keep an eye on Mom or Dad’s eating habits and prepare appropriate meals and snacks. Contact your Visiting Angels office so these dietary instructions can be added to your loved one's care plan.
Encourage Slow, Small, and More Frequent Meals
How your loved one eats during recovery is as important as what they eat. Instead of three large meals, smaller meals throughout the day may be beneficial—always follow the doctor’s orders. Smaller meals can help avoid overfilling and stressing the GI tract. Taking small bites and chewing food slowly also aids digestion.
Staying hydrated is another essential part of GI recovery. Generally, older adults should drink one-third to one-half of their body weight in ounces each day, unless directed otherwise by a doctor. When calling the office with the provider’s instructions for your loved one, include the information regarding meal frequency and daily fluid intake. This will ensure your loved one’s caregiver will follow the instructions.
Foods to Avoid After Abdominal Surgery
Some healthy foods can cause digestive distress in the weeks after abdominal surgery. Doctors commonly recommend avoiding these foods:
- Beans
- Fibrous fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, apples, and pears
- Raw vegetables
- Seeds and nuts
- Whole grain bread and pasta
Seniors should also avoid inflammatory foods during recovery to promote healing. This includes fried, greasy, and fatty foods, as well as processed snacks such as chips and cookies. Watch for nausea and vomiting, which can indicate complications or a new illness.
Keep in mind that your loved one is as overwhelmed as you—if not more—by the stress of surgery, recovery, and a new diet. Listen to their concerns and remind them that this is temporary. Recovery time varies depending on their medical condition and overall health, so continue following the doctor’s orders until directed.
Visiting Angels Can Help With Post-Surgery Home Care
Our dedicated and compassionate caregivers can serve as another set of eyes and helping hands for your loved one during their recovery. Here are a few ways we can help:
- Review all doctor’s orders. Ask your loved one’s doctor for clarity if you don’t understand their orders. Help your loved one understand why each order is essential for recovery.
- Provide daily care support: Our professional caregivers can help with day-to-day bathing, grooming, toileting, meal preparation, and companionship during recovery and beyond.
- Discuss bowel movements. The size, consistency, and frequency of stools offer key insights into digestive health. Encourage your loved one to report their bowel movements during recovery: Are they loose? Watery? Small and round like pebbles?
Healing after GI surgery takes time, patience, and commitment to the prescribed recovery plan. Visiting Angels is here to help support you and your loved one during recovery and beyond.
Contact your local home care office to discuss how we can support your loved one after abdominal surgery.