How Assisted Living Facilities Meet Senior Dietary Needs

WN Lifestyle Home – Health Originally posted on: http://www.sandiaviewassistedliving.org/how-assisted-living-facilities-meet-senior-dietary-needs/ Eating a balanced, nutritional diet is important at any age. For older adults, proper nutrition can be… Eating a balanced, nutritional diet is important at any age. For older adults, proper nutrition can be the difference between health and sickness. Malnutrition is a serious problem in the elderly. It occurs when someone doesn’t eat enough food or doesn’t eat the right foods. If we all know eating well is important, why is it a challenge later in life? The fact is, nutritional needs change as the body ages. An 80-year-old body processes food in a different way than a 50-year-old one. If seniors don’t recognize and adjust for aging, their health is at risk. Poor eating habits put seniors at risk for chronic health issues . Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and bone loss can come from lack of nutrition. Smart food choices boost mental and physical function. A proper diet helps people manage blood pressure and cholesterol. It can reduce the risk of bone loss and arthritis. It’s important to note that proper nutrition is more complicated than food choice. Sandia View Assisted Living in Albuquerque looks at everything related to proper nutrition. One of the main changes that affect nutrition is slower digestion. Reduced amounts of saliva and stomach acid make it tougher to break down food. The body doesn’t absorb important nutrients. That means missing out on Vitamins like B6 and B12 and folic acid. Those vitamins and minerals are important for memory, circulation, and mental alertness. Eating high-fiber foods and increasing water consumption can improve digestion. As people age their metabolism decreases. It’s a natural process that again changes the way the body processes food. Your body doesn’t burn calories at the same rate it once […]

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