❓An elderly parent suddenly wants to go vegetarian in old age — what should their adult children watch out for?

As people age, appetite and digestive/absorptive capacity naturally decline, so if a dietary shift happens on top of that, adult children should keep an eye on a few things: make sure total calories and protein don't quietly end up insufficient just because 'vegetarian' gets equated with 'light eating' or 'eating less.' If the parent already has a chronic condition (diabetes, kidney disease, osteoporosis, etc.) and is on medication or has special dietary restrictions, it's best to check with their doctor before making the switch — some medications (like warfarin) interact with changes in vitamin K intake (from eating more leafy greens), and that's worth watching closely. Take them for basic nutritional checkups regularly (CBC, albumin, vitamin D, B12) so any issues get caught and adjusted early — that beats fixing problems after the fact. If the parent is set on making the change because it's what they personally want, supporting that decision — while making sure it's nutritionally safe — tends to be a lot better for their mental well-being and quality of life than opposing it.