Taking Care of a Senior? Here Are Some Simple Strategies to Improve Their Nutrition

With improvements in medicine and self-care, we’re aging better. However, more than 55 million people in the United States are over the age of 65. Aging continues to affect health, but you can help your loved ones live better with good nutrition. 

At East Side Primary Medical Care on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, our experienced primary physician, Dr. Daniel Klein, provides comprehensive medical care for adults of all ages, including seniors and their caregivers.

Are you taking care of a senior? Do you have concerns about their health or diet? Here, we want to share some simple strategies to improve their nutrition. 

Nutrition basics for older adults

Good nutrition is eating a balanced diet filled with nutrient-rich foods that you enjoy, promote good health, and fit your budget. While basic nutrition is the same for everyone, nutrition needs change over time. 

Many older adults experience a decrease in appetite. Calories needs decline with age, but nutrient needs don’t change. These factors can make it hard for older adults to get the nutrition they need to stay healthy.

Aging affects muscle mass, causing weakness and increasing the risk of falls. Older adults need more protein than younger adults to maintain muscle mass. 

Older adults are also at risk for developing nutrient deficiencies due to changes in appetite, poor absorption, or inability to convert nutrients into an absorbable form. Some of the nutrients of concern include vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. 

Benefits of healthy eating

Improving your loved one’s nutrition benefits their physical and psychological well-being. Benefits of healthy eating for seniors include:

• More energy
• Stronger muscles and bones 
• Improved management of chronic diseases like diabetes
• Better digestion and bowel health
• Lower risk of nutrient deficiencies

Eating better also helps seniors live a healthier, active, and independent life. This improves their mental well-being, reducing risk of depression and anxiety.

Strategies for improving nutrition

You don’t need to completely overhaul your loved one’s diet to improve their nutrition. In fact, making small, manageable changes may lead to better results.

Simple strategies for improving senior nutrition include:

• Serve small, balanced meals: Seniors need fewer calories and have smaller appetites, but higher nutrient needs. Keep meals small and offer nutrient-rich foods like fruits, veggies, grains, and protein. Example: whole-grain toast with scrambled eggs and sliced oranges.
• Include lean proteins with each meal: Seniors need protein to maintain muscle and strength. Choose leaner options like poultry, fish, and beans to get protein without unhealthy fat. 
• Add color to the plate: Colorful fruits and vegetables are a great source of health-boosting nutrients like antioxidants. Add color to your loved one’s plate with foods like tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, papaya, squash, carrots, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, red cabbage, eggplant, and blueberries. 
• Keep it simple: Talk to your loved one to find out what they want to eat and keep it simple. Prep food ahead of time so they can put meals together themselves. Or, batch cook and freeze individual servings they can heat up in the microwave.
• Encourage liquids: Seniors may not drink enough fluids because their sense of thirst decreases with age. Encourage your loved one to carry a water bottle everywhere they go and take sips regularly. Certain health conditions like kidney disease or diabetes may affect fluid needs. If you’re not sure how much water your loved one needs, we can help.

It’s never too late to improve nutrition. Helping your loved one make a few changes to their diet can improve their health and quality of life. 

With grocery and meal delivery services, it’s easier than ever to help your mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or friend eat better and remain independent as they get older.

If you have concerns about nutrition for the senior you’re caring for, schedule an appointment with Dr. Klein. We can discuss concerns, evaluate your loved one, and come up with a plan.

Call today at 680-206-2794 or book an appointment online.