Nutrition is the fuel that gets our body functioning at its optimal. Good nutrition is important no matter what the age is. However, the nutritional requirements of people change as they pass through different phases of life.

As you age, your body’s requirements to stay healthy change too! You may develop certain conditions such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis, heart disease and others which may require you to consume a certain kind of diet. You may need fewer calories, more proteins and so on.

Today, let’s discuss different aspects related to older adults and their nutrition.

The Unique Needs of Senior Citizens

To begin with, let us look at some of the aspects that can affect maintaining a nutritious diet challenging for senior citizens:

• Their declining health may limit their capability to cook for themselves.
• Changes in the home environment such as living alone or having trouble in doing the daily chores can make it difficult to stick to a healthy meal plan.
• Certain medicines may affect their appetite or make their mouth dry.
• Some older adults may find it challenging to afford healthy food as they age.
• Some seniors may develop issues with chewing or swallowing their food.
• People’s sense of taste or smell may change as they age.

What is The Best Nutrition for Seniors?

Here are some things that you should keep in mind regarding a senior’s diet:

• Each meal should consist of food from each group such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and micronutrients to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
• They need enough protein to maintain their muscle mass.
• Food with no added sugar, saturated fats and sodium is ideal for them.
• Proper focus should be given to micronutrients such as calcium, potassium, vitamin D, dietary fibre and vitamin B12.
• Some people feel less thirsty as they age. This leads to a reduction of water and other fluid intake. If you don’t feel thirsty enough, plan to include a beverage in each meal such as low or fat-free milk, fresh juices, or soy-based drinks. However, avoid beverages with a high content of sugar or salt.

How Can You Help the Elderly to Improve Their Nutritional Status?

Caring for a senior? Here are a few useful things that you should keep in mind:

• Focus on food laden with nutrients but not extra calories: This includes different kinds of fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, brown rice, low-fat or fat-free milk and cheese, rice, oats or soy milk added with calcium and vitamin D, lean meats such as poultry, seafood and eggs, seeds, nuts and beans.
• Choose food with low in cholesterol and fat: It’s important to avoid trans and saturated fats. Trans fats are those found in processed fat such as margarine while saturated fats are fats that come from animals. Fried food at fast-food restaurants and Store-bought baked goods are laden with such kinds of unhealthy fats.
• Stay away from empty calories: Certain foods add lots of calories without providing nutrients such as candy, baked goods, chips, alcohol and soda. Avoiding these is important.
• Stay hydrated: The importance of hydration increases as you age. However, you may feel less thirsty as you age. Taking certain medicines can also add to this. But remember to drink as much water and fluid as you can.
• Be active: Although this is not directly related to nutrition, being active goes hand in hand with good nutrition. Physical activity can work up your appetite and help in better absorption of nutrition.

What Nutrients are Most Important for the Elderly?

Here are certain nutrients that should be a part of a senior’s day-to-day diet:

Vitamin B: Vitamin B6, B12 and folate (also known as folic acid) are essential vitamins for senior citizens. Some natural sources where you can get these are:

• B6 – Whole grains and organ meats such as liver
• B12 – Fishes and lean meats
• Folate – Beans, dark greens and peas

Fibre: Fibre has a variety of benefits including preventing diabetes, maintaining regular bowel movements and maintaining heart health. Whole grains, beans and veggies are good sources of fibre.

Vitamin D and Calcium: These are essential for strong bones. However, seniors especially senior women tend to suffer from deficiency which leads to the development of chronic diseases such as osteoporosis. The best source of vitamin D is the sun. Being outside, and engaged in some physical activities, can help you get sufficient vitamin C. However, if you’re unwell and going outside is difficult for you, you can look for products with added vitamin D or talk to your doctor about vitamin D supplements.

Potassium: Having adequate potassium is important for heart health and blood pressure. Bananas, yoghurt and potatoes are good sources of potassium.

Healthy fats: A senior’s diet should consist of limited fat (especially saturated) and cholesterol and no trans fats. Instead, they should opt for healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts and nut butter, avocados, tofu and soy milk.

How to Avoid Common Challenges

Older adults face certain unique challenges with regards to their diet. Let’s now look at some ways to avoid these:

Difficulty with chewing and/or swallowing: It may get harder to chew or swallow as a person ages. Cutting food into smaller pieces can help you to chew them better. You can also opt for softer food such as mashed potatoes, overcooked rice and cottage cheese to make chewing and swallowing easy. Ensure to have water during a meal to make swallowing easy.

Stress-related to eating: If you or the senior you’re caring for find mealtime stressful, here are some ways to overcome it:

• Use only the utensils you need and not others, so that there’s no confusion about what to eat.
• Choose a lot of colourful vegetables to make the plate interesting.
• Serve a dessert sometimes. If sweets are not allowed for health reasons, opt for fruits.
• Ensure at least one family member eats with the senior to make mealtime an enjoyable social activity.
• Avoid giving a lot of choices for a meal to reduce the stress of choosing what to eat.

You can consult a dietician to get a day-to-day meal plan to combat challenges with senior nutrition. A professional help can help you obtain the right kind of nutrition and deal with challenges.

Sources

• https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html
• https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Nutrition-needs-when-youre-over-65
• https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/senior-nutrition
• https://www.myplate.gov/life-stages/older-adults