If you have always followed a healthy diet, good for you.
As you grow older, however, you need to adjust your diet to keep up with the changes in your body. For instance, you need to cut down on your calorie intake because your metabolism is slowing down.
You also need to increase the nutrients you consume because your aging body needs it. This underscores the importance of eating healthy foods with the best and highest nutritional value.
Seniors in aged care residences can expect their diet to meet the recommended requirements, what with food and nutrition a crucial part of the overall programs on offer.
In Arcare, for example, aged care meals are not only prepared fresh but also nutrition and dietary requirements of each resident are considered. The facility coordinates and collaborates with health professionals and dietitians to ensure proper diet in seniors.
However, food and diet are not the only factors that need to be considered.
There is also the fact that older adults are likely to have trouble chewing, eating, and swallowing. Some of them could experience unhealthy weight loss and loss of appetite. In some cases, changes in the appetite is a side effect of medication and certain chronic conditions.
But there are solutions to every problem.
To Ensure Better Nutrition in Older Adults
- Serve more fruits and vegetables that are softer for those having dental issues. The fiber, vitamins, and enzymes also help with eating and nutrition.
- Serve a bigger lunch, what with seniors needing more calories in the day.
- Maintain fluid levels needed in different bodily processes by drinking lots of water.
- Go for bread with higher whole grain levels. Mix it up with whole grain pasta to make the taste and texture more palatable.
- Avoid skipping meals and serve small meals more often instead.
5 to 6 meals a day can keep the highs and lows of insulin levels at a minimum, ensure seniors with chest congestion or breathing problems get daily sustenance, encourage those with appetite loss to take in more calories, and open up more opportunities for socializing over meals.
To Help Seniors Who Need to Gain Weight
- Increase their calorie intake by adding extra calories and nutrients.
- Make high-calorie and nutritious drinks, such as a milkshake with wheat germ or peanut butter.
- Enhance calorie and protein levels by adding dehydrated milk to a creamy casserole or cereal bowl.
- Have seniors eat with loved ones often and at a slow pace.
To Help Seniors with Problems Chewing and Swallowing, Dental, and Feeding Motor Skills
- Prepare foods that are soft and easy to eat. Chunky stews should have a similar texture.
- Meats should be shredded or cut up. Make sure that, when food needs to be cut up, it must be done before serving to maintain the dignity of the meal.
- Serve finger foods as much as possible to spare seniors with eyesight and motor issues from dealing with cutlery.
- Serve smoothies for breakfast or for a light meal. This provides seniors with the vitamins and nutrients they need without the need to chew or eat.
With these tips in mind, you or a senior loved one will remain healthy even in the golden years.
Because eating is one of the most basic human needs, you should stock up on related information. Learn anything and everything about food from HealthInClinic.
