Nutrition is one of the essential factors in long-lasting health, particularly in the elderly. Seniors often face daily challenges in preparing balanced and healthy meals. Improper nutrition weakens the immune system of the elderly and makes them more susceptible to infection. Their bones and muscles may also weaken due to inappropriate nutrition. Bone loss is also associated with an increased risk of fall and fracture in them.
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On the other hand, the following factors negatively affect the quality of nutrition of the elderly:
- Poor dental health
- Chronic diseases such as diabetes and kidney problems
- Difficulty swallowing
- Decreased appetite
- Poor sense of taste and smell
- Inability to shop and cook independently
These factors put the elderly at risk for malnutrition.
What are the nutritional needs of the elderly?
The nutritional needs change over aging, and each person has their own requirements. Also, medical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, etc., might require changes to the diet and lifestyle. The seniors need to consider them in eating and preparing meals. The size and amount of what the elderly eat are also important.
A caregiver can work with doctors in taking care of the nutritional needs of the seniors.
Some of the nutritional recommendations for the elderly are as follows:
- Eating a wide range of fruit and vegetable
- Drinking water and ensuring hydration
- Decreasing saturated fat
- Limit or decreasing foods /drinks containing added salt and sugar
- Manage alcohol consumption
- Eating more fiber
- Taking vitamin, mineral supplements
The following are an essential part of the diet for the elderly:
- Protein
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Iron
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12/cobalamin
- Folic acid
What are the Benefits of Nutrition Therapy?
In addition to being beneficial, nutrition therapy also has several disadvantages. However, when you follow your dietitian’s specialized diet plan, you may experience the following benefits:
Reduce or eliminate chronic illness symptoms.
Chronic illness can be challenging to manage. On the other hand, nutrition treatment can reduce the advancement of your chronic condition and even reverse or prevent some of the signs you are encountering. For example, when a person with type 2 diabetes is able to keep their blood glucose levels within target limits, they may suffer fewer symptoms associated with uncontrolled diabetes, such as frequent urination or weight gain.
Prevent the occurrence of other ailments in the first place.
Chronic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity may be reduced through nutrition treatment. Furthermore, appropriate nutrition therapy may aid in preventing or advancing painful diabetic neuropathy.
Boost your everyday energy and exercise levels.
Nutritional optimization may also enhance your general energy levels, enabling you to concentrate on other aspects of your healthcare strategy. You may have more energy, allowing you to finally go to that local exercise class you’ve been eyeing or chat with loved ones.
Reduce your weight.
You may also notice weight loss as a result of healthy eating. Because excess weight aggravates many chronic conditions, weight loss may be a primary objective of your dietary therapy.
Reduce your healthcare expenses.
Preventing chronic illness and effectively treating symptoms can save you time and money in the long run. It could even keep you from undergoing intrusive testing and treatments. For instance, if you have heart disease and can decrease your cholesterol with a nutrition treatment plan, you may avoid having surgery later to clean or replace your main arteries. This will save you the trouble of healing and surgery’s possibly significant financial load.
What is the best food for the elderly?
By aging, your body’s metabolism decreases. So you need fewer calories than before. The body also is in need of certain nutrients. There is no magic list or formula for the best food for the elderly. Not every two adult people are the same.
However, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), the following tips are helpful in terms of nutrition among the elderly:
Find out what is a healthy plate
They are the foundation of a healthy diet.
Pick important nutrients
Your plate would better be diverse and contain healthy food types:
- Lean protein
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Low-fat dairy
Vitamin D, fiber, and low sodium or salt food should be among your options.
Look at the nutrition facts label
Read the labels carefully and choose foods low in sodium, added sugar, and fat.
Take recommended servings
It’s important that the seniors eat the right amount of food appropriate for their age and body.
Hydration
You need water as you age, although having trouble visiting the bathroom. Tea and coffee are also fine and decrease fluids with sugar and salt.
In-home care providers in Las Vegas
Professional in-home care providers can support the elderly in having a proper diet and adhering to it. Some of the services provided in the field of nutrition are:
- Grocery shopping
- Meal preparation
- Feeding and special diet maintenance
- Meal planning
- Checking food expiry dates
An experienced caregiver helps your senior:
- Meet their important dietary needs and dietary restrictions (this is especially important for patients with diabetes and high blood pressure)
- Enjoy the process of cooking and eating.
- Reduce the risk of problems such as malnutrition or dehydration
- Improve their mental health
Our caregivers help your loved ones to have a diet plan that suits their needs and physical condition. Even having proper snacks is an important task for our caregivers. Of course, as long as your elderly likes to be involved in the cooking process, our caregivers try to work with them in the kitchen.
Getting experienced caregivers to prepare meals and nutrition will keep you from grocery shopping. Because not only do they prepare meals, but they can also supply food ingredients for cooking. To prevent food-borne diseases, disinfecting the kitchen is another task of our caregivers.
If you are in Las Vegas, contact us to find out the details of the services we can offer.
You can get information about other Home Assist services.
The grandpa is diabetic and we requested your help, he is doing well now with the skilled nurse. She knows everything about diabetes.
They reminded me of nutrition important for my father who is diabetic and I highly appreciate it, thank you Home Health.