|
Many people understand that as they get older, good nutrition is key to staying energetic, mentally sharp, and healthy. Yet various factors — from a limited budget to loss of appetite or emotional issues due to changes such as loss of spouse — prevent the elderly from eating right.
Adult children can help gently guide their aging parents down the right path, and learning about the various things that affect eating habits at this age.
“Don’t try to change their diet overnight. Focus on what foods they might like to eat and start with that,” says Angela Cudone-Sheridan, a registered dietician and certified diabetes educator at Virginia Mason’s Winslow Clinic.
She says older people may experience a loss of appetite, in addition to taking medications that could affect their eating. “Emotional factors can also be a barrier to eating right — you could become lonely and depressed,” she says.
Lorie Motthram, a registered dietician who is Harrison Medical Center’s clinical dietitian, says adult children need to be aware of the changes that occur with aging. “We need to keep them (elders) at a healthy weight,” she says. For some people, that means making sure they eat enough but for others it actually means a decrease in calorie intake because of the change in activity level. And even if the calories need to go down, the requirements for protein, vitamins and minerals don’t decrease — which makes eating the right type of food even more important.
“Every mouthful needs to count a little more,” she says.
She says it’s also much easier for older people to be underhydrated because their sensation of thirst decreases. Additionally, if they need help getting water or going to the bathroom, they may intentionally not drink because they may not want to bother their caretakers. Six glasses a day is a minimum, she suggests (which should be mostly water, but juices and milk also count).
There are three important issues related to eating for the elderly, according to Bainbridge Island registered dietician Rebecca Eastgard, a consulting nutritionist who has a master’s and a doctorate degree in nutritional sciences. They are: dentition, absorption and digestion.
Dental health — whether there is loss of teeth or improperly fitting dentures — will impact the ability of a person to chew food. “Just because you like steaks, doesn’t mean they (your parents) will,” she says. “You don’t want to push foods.”
Because seniors do not absorb food as easily, she says it’s important for them to split the dozes of their vitamins, and sometimes even their medication. Digestion is another concern — seniors often have problems with constipation, so fiber-rich foods like whole grains or fruits and vegetables are even more important at this age. Fruits and vegetables are also so-called nutritionally dense foods.
“You have to focus on eating efficiently as you get older, and most senior citizens don’t do that,” Cudone-Sheridan says. She lists such nutritionally dense foods like strawberries, broccoli and spinach as examples of foods that are high in anti-oxidants, which help prevent cancer, inflammation and other problems.
Vitamin D could also be a critical missing component, especially in the Pacific Northwest since the sun exposure is limited between October and March. Eastgard says if a person doesn’t receive 15 minutes of sunshine a day, a vitamin D supplement is a must, because it affects the body’s immune system.
Bottom line, make sure the parents are eating a diversity of foods. “Older people get into a routine of eating the same thing for breakfast, then lunch and maybe even dinner,” Eastgard says. “That’s when you start developing deficiencies.”
How do adult children help their parents without making them feel like they’re been lectured? Start by observing — have a meal together to see what the seniors are eating, note if the clothes appear loose etc. Bring along fruits and vegetables when coming for a visit, and make sure healthy choices are available.
Mottram says, “A healthy sandwich, ready to eat, is just as easy to grab as a cracker… Provide healthy options, make them available and let them have choices… If the food looks good, tastes good and is the consistency they need to have (if there are dental issues), they will be more likely to eat them… If chewing is difficult, it translates into less intake.”
Having a meal with the seniors not only helps observe their eating patterns but may also stimulate their appetite — good company could help individuals who have loss of appetite due to being lonely and depressed. “You need to help them look forward to meal times,” Cudone-Sheridan says.
Take advantage of resources available in the community and dinner options. Meals on Wheels, free meals at senior centers, personal chefs who’ll come cook a meal at the house, or ready-made meals can help encourage the elderly to eat better. Talking to a nutritionist to determine individual requirements is also a good idea, although some seniors may not be able to afford it since it’s not a benefit covered by insurance.
Don’t feel pressured to make it all happen at once. “It sounds like a lot for people, but just do one thing at a time that they (the parents) need to focus on,” Cudone-Sheridan says. “…Think positively, then create a picture of success for them.”
|
