|
|
|
|
Nutrition Tip of the Month
Nutrition and the Elderly: Be a guardian angel for
seniors who live alone
Difficulty cooking or shopping, trouble chewing, lack of appetite, and
depression are some of the reasons elderly folks who live on their own don’t
eat well. In fact, one of four suffers from malnutrition.
During the
holidays (and all year long), you can help a single senior eat well and stay
independent by reaching out in these ways:
- Offer to shop for them or find a grocery store that delivers
- Prepare or buy frozen meals they can cook in the microwave.
- Take them to group meals at senior centers or places of worship.
Loneliness is the reason many say they don’t eat.
- Check with their doctor to see if medications may be causing food to
taste bad or decrease appetite.
- Suggest foods that need little or no chewing, such as applesauce
instead of apples; main dishes made with ground meat, eggs, or cheese;
and cooked cereal or rice instead of sliced bread.
Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration; New York
City Department of Aging in HOPE Health Letter, December 2008, Vol. 28, No.
12, Page 1
|
|
|
|
