Nutrition
and Aging
by Peter Nicolaou
Eating well is important
to health and for seniors it's especially true.
As we get older, nutrition
can suffer for a variety of reasons. We're less
likely to exercise or engage in activities that
increase our appetites. Our ability to taste and
smell generally declines and food becomes less appealing.
Lost teeth or poorly fitting dentures make chewing
difficult and mealtime painful. And because we grew
up eating with others, mealtimes were a social activity
that is lost when living alone, as many seniors
do.
All these facts combine
to lower our nutritional well being, and without
proper nutrition and exercise, our general wellness
declines. We begin to lose the muscle mass that
helps maintain balance, and tend to become more
prone to disease and falls. And if we do fall or
become sick, healing is a slower process when we
aren't giving our bodies the nutrition they need.
Families of prospective
participants at the Buena Vida Adult Day Centers
tell me that their family member often eats alone
and often miss meals and medications that are best
taken with food. Perhaps it's because they don't
have the energy to fix a meal or they don't want
to fix a meal just for themselves. That's just one
of the benefits of entering our adult day program.
Our participants enjoy eating with others, sharing
common experiences and telling stories. It's not
unusual to see a participant's appetite increase
just eating with others.
Weight is often an
indication of nutritional status. As part of the
health assessment,our nurse completes when a person
comes to Buena Vida, we check nutritional status.
Then our dietitian reviews new admissions and checks
our menus to make sure our participants are getting
the nutrition they need. And then we work with families,
because most of our participants' meals are still
eaten at home.
If you have a question
about nutrition for seniors, call us at 598-5403.
Our professional staff can help you work to improve
your health and the health of a senior for whom
you care.
For
more information about our adult day care services,
contact Peter Nicolaou.
Call (915) 598-5403.
