Older People and Nutrition
If you are caring for an elderly loved one, you know that it can sometimes be challenging for an older person to maintain a nutritious diet. Sometimes, grocery shopping can be a difficult task for an older adult, and cooking can be tedious. If you want to help the senior in your care to maintain a healthier lifestyle and eat a more nutritious diet, we have some ideas to make mealtime more enjoyable and nutrition more accessible.
Have a Plan
Meal planning is a wonderful way to make it easier to ensure that the week’s meal’s hold the proper nutrition. Planning also makes meal prep easier, and by working together you can help your loved one feel more invested in his or her own meals. Make a meal plan for the week, incorporating ingredients that will work for more than one meal and keeping your plan versatile. To simplify your meals, prepare certain ingredients in advance.
- Nutritious grains: In addition to having whole wheat bread readily available, prepare quinoa and brown rice to use in several meals.
- Vegetables: Use vegetables as the mainstay of your loved one’s menu. Consider serving the main course over a salad or bed of leafy greens, for example, rather than pasta or rice. Chop vegetables ahead of time, to use in a variety of meals throughout the week.
- Fruit: Fruit makes a wonderful, nutritious snack, full of vitamins and fiber, and it’s also hydrating. Keep a variety of fresh fruit on hand, so that it’s easy to grab for a quick bite or to eat for dessert.
- Lean protein: Include plenty of protein in your menu, including lean meats and dairy. Poultry and fish contain protein and iron, and beans, nuts, and seeds make an excellent protein-packed substitute for animal proteins. Low-fat or plant-based dairy products are also a great option, particularly for those who want to lower fat intake.
Understand the Nutritional Needs of Older Adults
As our bodies age, our nutritional needs change. Older people need the many of the same nutrients as younger people, but they need to consume these nutrients in fewer calories because they are doing fewer high-energy burning tasks. It is important to maintain a healthy body weight, to reduce the risk of illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes. However, while being overweight can be a problem for older people, not eating enough can lead to conditions like memory loss and osteoporosis.
Malnutrition can be a problem in older adults, because of several factors. The ability to taste and smell often decreases as a person ages, which makes food less appetizing. Further, many older people have diminished appetites, which can decline further with certain medications. People who live alone often skip meals because they find eating alone depressing, so older people with reduced appetite often forgo preparing and eating meals. Other factors that contribute to malnutrition in the elderly include dental issues that make chewing painful, depression that makes eating unappealing, and restricted income that makes it hard to afford nutritious foods. It is estimated that five to ten percent of older people living in a community setting suffer from malnutrition. For hospitalized people, that percentage jumps to 60 percent, and for people in long-term care facilities, it ranges from 35 to 85 percent. What’s more, malnutrition is not restricted to those in the hospital- it’s actually one of the leading causes of hospital readmissions for older people.
Addressing Specific Conditions
All people need nutrient-dense foods and proper hydration to help them live healthy lives. Older adults need certain additional nutrients, like extra calcium and vitamin D to help maintain healthy bones. When people have chronic illnesses, though, it’s important to address them through nutrition, supporting good health with a nutritious diet.
- Those with arthritis benefit from a Mediterranean diet, full of omega-3 fatty acids. It is important for people with arthritis to maintain a healthy weight to reduce pressure on the joints, and certain foods can help alleviate arthritis symptoms, including apples, strawberries, cherries, ginger, and seafood.
- While there is no diabetic diet, this condition has a complicated connection to food. People with diabetes should consult with their healthcare providers to determine their individual dietary needs.
- Heart disease risk factors include genetics, exercise, lifestyle choices, and diet. According to the American Heart Association, people living with heart disease should eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, reduce salt and added sugars, limit alcohol intake, and choose healthy protein sources like legumes, fish, and low-fat dairy.
Trust BrightStar to Care for Your Family’s Needs
At BrightStar Care of Jupiter/Martin County, we know that caring for your loved ones as they age can be challenging. That’s why we work hard to deliver the right care for older people and to be a partner their loved ones can turn to for support. Because we believe that caring is more than just a job, our nurses, therapists, CNAs, and caregivers offer the most professional compassionate care available. In the comforting, familiar surroundings of home, we offer a full range of care services to meet your loved one’s needs and help you when you need it most. Visit our website to apply now or call 561-741-1200 to learn more about joining the BrightStar Care family.