Elderly Nutrition and Concerns

Because of the constraints many elderly live under, they are often struggling to maintain a nutritious diet. Many seniors find that cooking for one is neither economical nor easy, and they easily lose their appetites as they become lonely and depressed.

Whether because of limited income, or the lack of ability to cook for one person, seniors can often face difficult choices when it comes to maintaining a nutritious diet. With decreased activity levels, many seniors find that they have a slower metabolism, and a lower caloric requirement. Coupled with inadequate food, they also lose energy, and fall into a cycle of lethargy and have very little energy to do much about it. The bottom line is that whether they lack the motivation, knowledge, or confidence to fix balanced meals there is help that is available. If you are a senior concerned who is concerned about your own nutrition, or a caregiver who is worried about a senior in your life, here is what you need to know about elderly nutrition and the resulting concerns and solutions-

• Think about quality of life-Food is a cornerstone of the human experience and something that bonds many people together. Studies have shown that a surprisingly effective solution for many elderly people lies in rebuilding their social lives. Restaurants, churches, senior centers, and community events, are great venues for stimulating both interests and appetites for many seniors. Clubs that bring seniors together often offer food as part of the gathering and many people find a renewed interest in eating when surrounded by other people. Many sites such as Caregiverpartnership.com can help you find resources that will offer information about improving the quality of life for the senior you care about.

• Consider meal delivery-This is a extremely helpful option for the homebound senior. You can investigate the delivery of hot meals by social agencies such as Meals on Wheels. Most of these agencies have experienced nutritionists that design meals for variety, nutrition, appeal, and quantities that are tailored to senior appetites. This helps assure that your senior will be receiving nutritious meals at regular intervals, and it often has the added benefit of interaction with delivery personnel who are often seniors themselves.

• Investigate nutritional supplements-If your senior has been suffering from an inadequate diet experts agree that it is actually better to consider nutritional supplements to boost health immediately with the possibility of adding beneficial foods at a later date. At Caregiverpartnership.com they offer a wide variety of nutritional supplements that include: shakes, juices, puddings, and thickeners that help boost the nutrition that your senior is receiving. These come in easy to eat formulations for the elderly who may have not been consuming a lot of food. This way you can boost the nutritional value in the senior’s diet without overwhelming them with plate loads of food. In addition, many items are formulated for those patients with diabetic, high fiber, or other dietary needs.

• As an expert-If you are concerned about a senior in your life and worried that they are not getting the proper nutrition you should not hesitate to ask an expert. You can work with a physician, registered dietician, or nutritionist, who can design a food plan that is consistent with the patient's medical needs, medications, and most important, food likes and dislikes. You should also keep these points in mind as you prepare meals, buy groceries, or stop by with an occasional food treat.

• Couple exercise with nutrition-Many seniors who are suffering from poor nutrition can have digestive problems as well. They may be unaware of the simple measures they can take that will improve their digestion. A simple walk around the block or any kind of light to moderate activity can help rev up the digestion and the appetite of the senior which often leads to a desire for better and more nutritious food.

See also: Poor Diet Affects Millions of Seniors Who Live Alone

About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/ to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.

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