Since food is such an integral part of life, choosing what and how much to eat has a huge impact on health, especially for seniors. Diet affects quality of life and longevity and plays a large role in avoiding illness and physical decline. Despite its importance, many seniors face obstacles due to cognitive and physical challenges that make it difficult to get the nutrients that they need. A care manager can help seniors work through these challenges, finding the solutions that put seniors on track to live their highest quality life.
The obstacles to healthy eating for seniors range from cognitive issues to physical illnesses and typical aging changes. Cognitive decline, even in a mild form, can make it difficult to plan for meals, shop for groceries, and follow recipes. Chronic pain, illness, and certain medications can decrease appetite and/or prevent the body from absorbing nutrients from food. Additionally, aging usually causes the metabolism to slow down, meaning that seniors need to eat less to be full and have a lower caloric intake need. This means that seniors can start to gain weight if they continue to eat the same amount that they did when they were younger. At the same time, seniors need the same amount of nutrients, and in some cases, more nutrients than they needed when younger. Eating can become more difficult due to tooth sensitivity or dentures. Finally, a loss of taste and smell is a typical part of aging that can take pleasure out of meals and make food less appealing to seniors.
These obstacles can lead to malnutrition that can look like overconsumption and weight gain or underconsumption and weight loss. Weight gain can increase risks for heart disease and diabetes. Underconsumption can cause seniors to lack the right nutrients, affecting their body’s ability to fight disease and heal from injuries. Malnutrition also affects the quality of daily life, leaving seniors without the energy to complete daily tasks and stay active. Addressing signs of malnutrition in your aging loved ones is crucial to helping them stay healthy and live their best quality life.
The best way to start focusing on healthy eating is by changing small habits that have big impacts, rather than trying to change to an entirely new lifestyle. Try to incorporate steps like:
- Drinking water or herbal tea instead of sugary drinks.
- Adding more fruits and veggies to each meal.
- Portion out snacks ahead of time.
- Eat meals with others.
- Use a smaller plate.
- Don’t skip meals.
Together with these small changes, find ways to make healthy eating fun and interesting. Experiment with healthy ingredients and new recipes until you find combinations that you like. Include your community by inviting friends and family over for meals or find a friend who is willing to start eating healthy with you.
A care manager can connect you with the solutions that help you reach your goals. We can connect you with community or senior centers that offer community meals, education classes, and assistance with meal preparation. Our knowledge of aging care and local resources means that we can connect you with a trusted dietitian, nutritionist, or medical provider who can give you the information you need to stay healthy. Our personalized guidance means that we address the unique problems that you are facing. Whether that is suggesting adaptive tools for your kitchen, a meal kit service, grocery delivery apps, or helping you find the ingredients that work for your needs, our care manager put their years of experience towards solving your unique issues.
Reach out to Growing Options to find your personalized solutions today.
Read more about aging care:
Providing Care For Your Aging Loved Ones from a Distance