First Line of Defense
Local Nutrition Campaign Will Arm Family Caregivers with Resources for Healthy Aging
When it comes to healthy aging, good nutrition is the first line of defense in keeping seniors strong and independent, according to a local senior-care expert and results of a recent study about the effect of nutrition on older adults
According to research conducted for the local caregiving company Home Instead Senior Care, 62 percent of adult children caring for an older adult (average age 81) reported three or more nutritional risks in their senior such as:
- Three or more prescribed or over-the-counter drugs per day.
- An illness or condition that made the senior change his or her diet.
- Having lost or gained more than 10 pounds in the past six months without trying.1
"We see seniors every day whose health is being impacted by such issues as multiple medications and illness, " said Tiffany Alcantara, Manager of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving San Luis Obispo County. "That makes nutritious and delicious meals an important tool in keeping seniors well-armed to stand firm against the ravages of aging. It's really the first line of defense." The importance of nutrition to healthy aging is why Home Instead Senior Care has launched the Cooking Under Pressure nutrition campaign to provide education and support to seniors and their family members who are sometimes stressed-out by the demands of caregiving. Partnering with nutrition experts at the University of Maryland and Duke University Medical Center, the company has developed a handbook of nutrition tips as well as healthy recipes for seniors. The handbook is available free through the local Home Instead Senior Care office. A Web site at www.foodsforseniors.com provides additional information, research and resources.
Statistics indicate that seniors can use the help. According to Home Instead Senior Care research, family caregivers report that 72 percent of seniors rely on assistance to get groceries while 57 percent of seniors rarely cook for themselves.2
"Inability to shop and cook can be major challenges to eating healthy, especially among recently hospital-discharged older adults," said Dr. Nadine Sahyoun, associate professor of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources who has extensively studied the impact of issues such as dental health, social support and depression on seniors" diets.
Research by Dr. Sahyoun of hospital-discharged older adults who qualify for home-delivered meals showed that 80 percent of those individuals who were recruited in the
study had food in their kitchens, but they were unable to shop or utilize that food for cooking. "There are many other challenges to eating well and these include loss of appetite, memory problems, dental health and use of certain medications," she added
"Without good nutrition, health can deteriorate very quickly, making seniors more susceptible to disease and infection," Dr. Sahyoun said. "And without intervention, malnutrition can result in a downward trajectory leading to poor health and mortality," she noted. A recent Yale University School of Nursing study she explained called malnutrition in the elderly "an ominous sign." Social support and assistance in shopping and preparing meals are the vital ingredients needed to make a positive difference in many seniors" lives. That can be help from a family or professional caregiver, taking part in a congregate meal program " such as those at a senior center or receiving meals on wheels. In addition, seniors and their family caregivers need knowledge in selecting food rich in nutrients, she noted. Older adults require less food as they age and they can't eat as much, but their needs for vitamins and minerals don't decrease and in some cases even increase, she said. That's where the Home Instead Senior Care campaign can help. The company and national nutrition experts have identified 12 nutritious foods, recipes that feature those foods as well as other resources that can help give caregivers the support they need. These resources really should provide family caregivers with the tools and information that will help equip their senior to stay strong and healthy, Home Instead Senior Care's Alcantara said. The good news is that family caregivers can head off a crisis by tuning into the early signs of trouble and knowing the foods and the habits that can help keep their loved ones healthy.