Senior Wellness Tips | Proper Nutrition
Simple Daily Tips for Senior Wellness
Tip 2– Nutrition
There are many tips out there for daily living, however, some become more important as you age. This series of blog posts outline some simple tips to keep implement into your daily life.
When it comes to nutrition we generally need to eat less, eat more or eat better. And while big changes in our body can seem daunting, simple daily changes can make a difference at any age. It is important to note that you should always consult with your doctor or nutritionist to get the guidance for your particular situation and health condition.
Why Might Nutrition Suffer as We Age?
As we age our bodies, minds, activity levels and motivation changes. These changes often require us to adjust our daily routines and to put forth effort to modify our eating habits and needs. Some changes might include:
- Reduced social contact or suddenly living alone and not knowing how to cook well or not wanting to cook for just one person
- Getting around and properly navigating the kitchen may be more difficult
- Trouble chewing and swallowing
- Concerns about teeth and dental health
- Losing sense of taste and smell
- Medications cause food to taste different or reduce appetite
- Issues managing constipation or incontinence
- Financial concerns and ability to purchase food
- Depression and anxiety
- Memory loss/Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease
- Too much alcohol consumption
What Are the Effects of Poor Nutrition in Seniors?
- A weakened immune system, which increases the risk of infections
- Poor wound healing
- Muscle weakness and decreased bone mass, which can lead to falls and fractures
- A higher risk of hospitalization
- An increased risk of death
- Decrease in eyesight
- Poor oral health
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Lack of cognitive clarity and increased confusion
- Hair loss or brittle or damaged hair
How Can I Improve My Nutrition?
There are volumes of articles written about nutrition and healthy eating but here are the daily tips that I have seen work.
- Establish a simple daily routine of when you will eat and stick with that routine as much as possible
- Determine the right amount of calories you need based on your goals, health needs and activity levels. Consult your doctor or nutritionist. I find that generally we know how much we should eat and when we should eat more or less. Enjoy good food in moderation.
- Blend protein, fruit or vegetables and other needed calories in a smoothie. Experiment with smoothies to find tastes you like with the proper nutrition. If you like Ensure or Boost, great. If not you can create wonderful tasting and very healthy smoothies with all the protein and nutrition you need. And they go down easily and quickly. If you like milk I highly recommend Fairlife milk. It is filtered milk with more protein, less sugar, and no lactose. And it tastes like great.
Right at Home caregivers help identify and correct poor nutrition through daily visits, telehealth and incorporating and monitoring nutrition intake as part of our individualized care plans. We help seniors do a little better today than yesterday and over time the quality of their lives improve. Please let us know how we can help by contacting us at (614) 734-1110.
Join us for Simple Daily Step 3 – Movement is Medicine (coming soon)
How Can I Learn More About Nutrition in Seniors?
https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/benefits/food-and-nutrition/senior-nutrition/
https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/25-best-nutrition-tips-silversneakers/
