Senior Nutrition

Seniors Benefit From Good Nutrition Since It Improves Their Quality Of Life

People often forget about the importance of senior nutrition.  According to the Mayo Clinic/American Dietetic Association, more than one-third of seniors in others’ care are at danger of malnutrition. Malnutrition is defined as a lack of adequate nutrition rather than a lack of food. It can be difficult to detect malnutrition in seniors, and even those who eat enough may be eating the incorrect things to stay healthy. Through the Nourish Senior Life® campaign, Comfort Keepers® helps seniors live healthy, independent lives while also promoting senior nutrition.

Seniors’ nutritional requirements change as they age. Making certain those needs are satisfied has a significant impact on their quality of life. The following are signs and symptoms of hunger or malnutrition in older individuals that caregivers or family members should be aware of:

• Keep an eye out for physical issues like slow wound healing, easy bruising, and tooth issues.
• Keep track of weight loss, which may need acquiring a home scale or transferring the elderly person to the doctor’s office for weight checks if they are unable to stand on their own.
• Pay attention to seniors’ eating patterns and ask them where and when they eat, but don’t depend solely on their self-reports. Because our Comfort Keepers® frequently spend mealtimes with seniors at home, they may have a greater understanding of normal eating habits.
• Family members should be invited to visit during mealtimes to help a senior consume more food. Make sure you know who is buying a senior’s food if he or she lives alone.
• Learn about the medications your elderly loved one is taking and whether they can influence their appetite or digestion. Check for drug-nutrient interactions or possible adverse effects of prescribed drugs using the information provided by your local retail pharmacist.
• Comfort Keepers recommends that elders, their family members, and other caregivers speak with doctors about testing that can help uncover chronic malnutrition or other nutrition-related disorders if they have medical questions about diet, medication, or health.
  Do you want to support elders in your community who have limited resources?

Donating non-perishable food items to your local Comfort Keepers senior care office can help prevent senior hunger and malnutrition. Feed Seniors Now® has further information.