Nutrition and Seniors: Eating for Healthy Aging

As you or your loved one ages, are you still eating a healthy diet? Perhaps you don’t feel like cooking as much as you did when you were younger, or maybe your mobility is somewhat limited, making cooking more difficult. 

Maybe it’s not you but your parents that need help. Researchers estimate that 25% of American seniors have poor nutrition, which can lower your immunity so that you’re more susceptible to illness and disease. 

If meal planning, shopping for groceries, cooking, and cleaning up after meals are increasingly challenging for you or a loved one, Blessings4Ever Home Care Agency can provide the meal assistance you need. Following are tips on nutrition for healthy aging. 

Are you getting enough protein?

Are you or your loved one over age 70? If so, you might not be consuming enough protein for your daily needs. That could be because inflation has trimmed your budget so you’re not buying as many cuts of meat or eating as much poultry. 

If you look in your refrigerator or that of your loved one, what do you see? If you’ve cut down on the amount of meat in your diet, it’s important to ensure that you’re still getting enough healthy protein. Dairy items, beans, peas, and lentils are excellent sources of protein, and they’re more budget-friendly. 

Our Blessings4Ever Home Care specialist can prepare nutritious meals packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals for you or your loved one. You can heat lyour eftovers in the microwave for additional easy meals. 

Vitamin absorption is lower

As you age, you’re less able to absorb certain vitamins and minerals. You or your parents may be taking medicines that interfere with vitamin absorption, as well. For example, if you’re on a proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux or taking metformin for diabetes, they can reduce your ability to absorb vitamin B12. Eating fish like salmon or tuna provides B12. One cup of fortified soy milk provides almost 90% of the daily requirement for B12. 

Getting enough vitamins and minerals 

Unless you have a blood clotting problem, it’s important to get enough vitamin K in your diet. Eating dark leafy greens like the salad mixes that come in clear plastic packaging is a convenient and easy source of vitamin K as well as a powerhouse of other vitamins and minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants. 

Add some grape or cherry tomatoes you can get in plastic packages and low-calorie bottled salad dressing and you have a healthy salad that satisfies many of your daily vitamin and mineral requirements.

If you have trouble preparing healthy food because you have limited use of your hands from arthritis, your home care specialist does the chopping and slicing for you so that you can continue to eat healthy fruits and vegetables. We store these in your refrigerator crisper so you can reach for them anytime you need a snack. 

Healthy eating requires healthy shopping 

If you struggle with technology and don’t feel comfortable ordering food online, and limited mobility means it’s hard to get to the store, our meal assistance specialist can grocery shop and do meal preparation for you. That way, you don’t run out of essential items you need to maintain a healthy diet. 

Call Blessings4Ever Home Care Agency or request information through our online portal today if you or a loved one needs assistance with grocery shopping, meal preparation, cooking, and cleaning up.