Healthy Nutrition for Older People
/The importance of a healthy, well-balanced diet cannot be underestimated, particularly for older people whose bodies need the right nutrition to prevent severe health problems from arising. Failure to maintain a healthy diet can result in complications such as heart disease, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease developing quickly.
Unfortunately, elderly people are less likely than most to eat healthily, for a variety of reasons. They could find it too difficult to prepare proper meals every day or to get to the supermarket to buy the right nutrients. They may encounter a loss of appetite or a decline in their senses of taste and smell. They could forget what they last had to eat or when they last ate.
If you notice a deterioration in the dietary habits of your elders, you could intervene by educating them as to the nutrients they need (and those which they should avoid), or by bringing them to the supermarket with you and helping them with their food shopping. You could also cook some meals for them if they find this difficult or even bring the family around to enjoy dinner with elderly relatives once a week.
This infographic from Be Independent Home Care (https://www.beindependenthomecare.ie/our-services/private-home-care.html) outlines how we can help our elders to eat healthily so that they will continue to feel good well into their senior years.
