Nutrition for the Elderly

By Sienna Nalin


The elderly sometimes go unrecognized and noticed. We need to recognize them though because they are wise individuals that have knowledge that can be shared. Not just that though, they also want to live a full beautiful life, so help them do so by helping them eat properly because eating becomes a hard task for the elderly with either no time to or forgetting to. (Image by syphlix via Flickr)

Nearly four million seniors are malnourished in the United States, according to The American Academy of Family Physicians. As most of us have an elderly loved one in our lives, these statistics are a reminder that we must understand the issues associated with eating well and how we can help.

To begin helping look at the type of food your loved one is eating. Is their food fresh and new, if not maybe they need your help with grocery shopping.

An unusual amount of weight loss or weight gain can also be a sign of undernourishment. Check the fit of their clothing; you may find it's excessively loose or tight. Other signs include unnatural-looking and excessive bruises and wounds that take a long time heal, which can point to a lack of proper food consumption.

The foremost thing you must do is learn about this problem and find a way to help you loved one so that they can still be here for years to come. Help them understand how they eat and what they eat is an important part of them staying healthy.

Vitamins are needed in a good diet, especially for the elderly that needs a good amount of vitamin C on a daily basis. Vitamin C can be found in fruits and vegetables, so make sure the elderly are getting them every day.

When you are young the sun and your body work hand in hand to give you vitamin D, but with are it is harder for the sun to impact your skin to give you the most natural form of vitamin D. To help the elderly get their doses of vitamin D, find foods with a good amount of it such as orange juice, milk, etc.

Last but not least, seniors need to stay hydrated and should have nine 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. Water is best.

...Get more help here Seniors and Nutrition: Ways to Identify and Combat Malnourishment - Huffington Post

So take your parents, grandparents, great grandparents out to eat for lunch so that you can kick their health back into gear and have them around for years to come.




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