Personal chef services are a unique and convenient option for seniors

As Baby Boomers retire, the senior population increases. Aging means change in our physical abilities, in our health, in our relationships and in our socialization. Aging in place is now a common phrase, and it’s a common wish as well.

For many seniors, cooking becomes more difficult, especially when caring for a loved one. Medical issues and a diminished capacity to taste food lead to smaller appetites, resulting in malnutrition.

According to Mary Kay Gill, owner and operator of Chefs for Seniors, one half of all elders who are admitted to hospitals are malnourished. Gill said, “Chefs for Seniors is a franchise started in Wisconsin that now has 88 owner/operators across the nation.” At their national meeting in October, Gill received a five-star customer service award and celebrated her second anniversary in business.

Gill said, “We help people manage their nutrition and dietary restrictions from the comfort of their home. Our clients include those on restricted diets, those recovering from surgery, even young, busy families. But most of our clients are over 70.”

A balanced diet plays a crucial role in maintaining energy levels, supporting cognitive function and managing chronic conditions. As we age, our nutritional needs may change, making it important to focus on nutrient-dense foods.

“Most of the calls we get are from adult children who are frustrated caregivers for their parents,” Gill said. “They have busy lives and want their parents to sign up before they can’t handle everything anymore.”

“It’s like having another set of eyes in the home. We also provide companionship as we talk and prepare the meals. It takes a special person to do this work. One of my clients told me, ‘I was a little apprehensive about having someone in my home, but now I feel like I have a new friend.’”

“Some clients have professional caregivers or geriatric case managers, so we make sure we adhere to doctors’ recommendations,” Gill said.

Clients can use the service twice per week, weekly, every-other-week or monthly, depending on specific meal plan needs and budget. With notice, schedules can be adjusted for dining out, having company and traveling. In addition to Gill, Chefs for Seniors has two other personal chefs to work with clients.

At a two-hour home visit, the chef will prepare four different entrées and 10-15 individually-packaged servings of meals. The exact number of servings depends on one’s appetite and the types of meals ordered, and serving sizes can be adjusted with your chef. Gill said that clients pre-order from menus on the website, and there are 150 items from which to choose. She said clients also send in recipes they want to try, and some want customized requests. Gill said the franchise also sends out regular newsletters with all kinds of health articles to everyone who signs up.

“We are very connected in the community and offer affordable pricing, companionship and control of what our clients eat,” Gill said. “It’s a process to gain trust, and a very intimate thing to be in someone else’s home. But it’s very gratifying that people welcome us into their homes to help them.”

For more information, visit https://chefsforseniors.com.

Edwina Hoyle is a freelance writer in Bluffton.