Nutritional Needs for Elderly for optimum energy and disease prevention

Nutritional Needs for Elderly is becoming an increasingly important topic in today’s society. As we age, we need more nutrition to help our bodies perform at their peak levels of efficiency.

Often, changes in feeding and nutritional absorption, due to age-related difficulties – such as medication side effects, and changes in senses of taste/ smell – prevent proper nutrition and lead to malnutrition.

Malnutrition is a serious health problem for the elderly and older adults because of its related effects.

These Effects of Malnutrition include dry skin, prone to tearing and pressure sores; or sores around the mouth, making it painful to eat; joint pain, causing mobility problems; increased irritability and depression – amongst a host of other problems caused by poor nutrition in the elderly.

Today, we’ll discuss the Nutritional Needs for Elderly, the importance of nutrition for the elderly, how you can have a nutritional diet by using supplementary nutritional foods and drinks, and some nutritional meal ideas.

The Importance of Nutritional Needs for Elderly – Why Nutrition is Important for the Elderly

Nutrition in the elderly is essential. Good nutrition means a balanced and healthy diet that provides your body with what it needs. This includes vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and water.

Although important at every age, good nutrition is especially important in the elderly. It helps to prevent/ control certain diseases or illnesses such as osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and acid reflux.

It is also crucial to meet the nutritional needs of elderly, as you stop absorbing certain vitamins properly, which can lead to malnutrition.

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Nutrition Problems

There are a few nutritional problems that can affect you in your later years. We outline some of them below and consider ways that we can make changes to help.

Money

It isn’t always cheap to eat healthily; fresh fruit and vegetables can be expensive, and if you are of pension age, then you might have a low income.

Consider: Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as good for you as their fresh alternatives, and much cheaper too.

It is getting easier to find ways to eat healthier for cheaper with online recipes or even cookbooks. If you are unable to access these ask your friends, family members or careers.

Or even ask in your local library, they are more than happy to help you find new books – cookbooks included – or to help you use the computers.

A good start is to look at Jack Monroe’s Cookbook, Tin Can Cook. They write specifically for tight budgets, and yet their recipes are delicious and nutritious.

You can also get support for elderly/ disability money problems from the government and some charity organisations.

Poor Appetite and Inability to Eat

A poor appetite can be as a result of mouth dryness and nausea, caused by medications or illnesses. It might also be caused by a lack of activity since the less you move, the less your body needs energy.

Digestive issues or issues with your mouth/ teeth can also lead to having a poor appetite and being unable to eat.

Other reasons may include not being strong enough to physically cook for yourself or feed yourself; as well as being unable to go shop for yourself, due to poor mobility.

Consider: For most of these issues, it is best to consult a doctor or medical professional. It may be that you need other forms of nutrition, such as oral nutritional supplements.

Most doctors will now go with a ‘food first’ process, so try eating little meals or snacks throughout the day. Especially if three big meals feels a little overwhelming. Try having soups and smoothies that are easier on the mouth and the stomach.

If you are just not feeling very hungry and if it is possible, take a little walk around your garden or wherever you can. This should help your body realise it needs to take in a little more energy. And if the problem is with your oral health, then you want to visit your dentist to fix this.

Illness Related Malnutrition

Some diseases can increase the risk of malnutrition such as chronic respiratory, gastrointestinal, liver and kidney diseases, cancer, HIV, AIDS, stroke and surgery.

If your body is not working right, you will be unable to fully absorb all the nutrients from the foods you manage to eat.

A decrease in sensitivity, such as smell or taste, can also reduce how much you want to eat or to cook. And hinder your ability to tell what is fresh and what is not.

Consider: A medical professional will be able to help you here. They will be able to tell you what nutrients your body is having trouble absorbing, or what it might need a little more of – depending on the situation.

Mental Health

Mental health causing malnutrition may be not remembering to eat. Or in the case of depression/ anxiety, then it can reduce your appetite. It can also be unmotivating to cook and eat by yourself. Or you might be worried about shopping and going out.

Consider: If you are physically unable to shop or cook for yourself, consider an online shopping service – if you can access the internet.

You can also go with friends or family to the shops together

Another solution might be to have a few days a week, where you cook with your friends or family – each bringing a dish, or working together to create a meal.

Nutrition for Elderly: Nutritional Needs for the Elderly

Nutritional needs vary slightly for the elderly. These changes can be caused by illnesses or simply because our bodies stop healthily processing vitamins and minerals.

Calcium and Vitamin D

You need more Calcium and Vitamin D to help maintain bone health as we age. This helps to prevent osteoporosis, MS, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and decreases the risk of falls.

And we need both as Vitamin D helps with the absorption of Calcium in the body.

Since you are over 50, you must consume 1200mg of Calcium a day = 4 cups of fortified orange juice, milk, soy or almond milk.

Other ways to get Calcium are from:

• Cheese, eggs and milk
• Seeds and nuts, such as chia seeds and almonds
• Yoghurt
• Sardines and canned salmon
• Beans and lentils

You are aiming for three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products each day.

Vitamin D is produced by your skin when exposed to sunlight. In some places such as Scotland, you cannot get enough sunlight naturally, so using supplements can be useful here. Always check with your doctor first.

Vitamin D can also be found in:

• Salmon, herring and sardines
• Cod liver oil
• Egg yolks
• Mushrooms

Vitamin B12

If you are over 50, absorbing Vitamin B12 from food can be difficult. A blood test at the doctors should be able to tell you if you need to take in a little more, either through food or through supplements. Vitamin B12 helps to maintain nerve function and the production of red blood cells.

Vitamin B12 can be found in:

• Milk and eggs
• Meat such as beef, liver and kidney
• Tuna, salmon, clams and trout

 Dietary Fibre

As we age, our digestive systems slow, which can cause constipation. More Fibre allows for more water to be absorbed into the digestive system, helping to keep them running smoothly. Medicines you take can also cause constipation or diarrhoea, and eating more fibre will help these too. It can also reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

You can find Fibre in:

• Nuts
• Wholegrain cereal, pasta, rice and bread
• Fruits and vegetables such as pears, strawberries, avocados and broccoli
• Beans, peas and lentils
• Oats

 Potassium

Getting enough Potassium in your body aids cell function, which reduces blood pressure, lowers your chance of kidney stones and strokes, and strengthens bones. Although it can be dangerous to have too much, you should be taking in about 4700mg a day. Most people do not manage this daily amount.

You can find Potassium in:

• Fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables
• Beans and peas
• Low-fat or fat-free dairy products
• Bananas
• Prunes and raisins
• Potatoes, especially sweet potatoes

 Fats

To satisfy your nutritional needs for elderly, most of the Fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These are primarily found in nuts, seeds, avocados, vegetable oils and fish. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat and trans-fat to help reduce your risk of heart disease.

You should have foods high in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week but no more than four. These help to prevent inflammation, slow the progression of Macular Degeneration, reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and keeps the brain healthy.

Omega-3 can be found in:

• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Flaxseed, great in smoothies or on top of porridge
• Soybeans
• Canola oil
• Walnuts

 Water

As you age, your body’s ability to conserve water decreases so we will feel less thirsty but still need those eight cups of water a day. Water also works with Fibre to keep your digestive system working.

A part of satisfying your nutritional needs for elderly is drinking quench-busting water. It is often hard to get enough water in a day, but there are some easy tricks to use that can help, silly as some of them might seem.

• Keep a water bottle with you, sitting around the house or out and about, so that you always have some with you
• have a favourite glass, maybe even a straw, that lets you have a little joy when drinking our water and with a straw, we tend to drink more than we realise.

You can keep an eye on our dehydration levels by checking your urine when we go to the toilet. If it is light, you are getting enough water. If it is a dark yellow colour, then you need to be drinking a bit more.

Vitamins and Minerals For The Elderly – 5 Essentials: Video

 Iron

Iron produces haemoglobin which carries oxygen in the blood from the lungs throughout the body; without it there is not enough oxygen getting to our body tissue, causing us to be tired and lethargic and causing anaemia.

You can find Iron in:

• Liver
• Red meat
• Beans
• Nuts
• Dried fruit
• Fortified breakfast cereals

A blood test with the doctor will be able to tell if you are low in Iron and there are a lot of great supplements out there in both tablet or liquid form that can help.

 Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an all-rounder. It is an anti-oxidant believed to prevent cancer and heart disease; it produces collagen that gives our skin elasticity and gets rid of old skin cells giving you healthy skin; it helps repair bones and teeth as well as aiding in healing wounds.

It is found in:

• Chilli peppers
• Sweet yellow peppers
• Blackcurrants
• Thyme and parsley
• Kale and broccoli
• Kiwi and lemons

 Magnesium

Magnesium plays a crucial role in many bodily functions including but not limited to keeping our heart healthy, our immune system and our bones strong. Ageing causes our ability to absorb it to decrease as do certain medicines.

You can find Magnesium in:

• Dark chocolate
• Avocados
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Tofu
• Whole grains

It can also be useful to have in a spray form to help with aching muscles.

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Effects of Poor Nutrition

The effects of poor nutrition in the elderly range from malnutrition to dehydration to illness. According to reports by the World Health Organization (WHO), a majority of the diseases that older people suffer are as a result of lack of proper diet. That means that many things can be helped or prevented with a good diet.

Malnourishment in the elderly is common due to many factors that have been listed above: money, poor appetite or inability to eat, illness-related circumstances, dental health as well as mental health.  This can cause your body to slow down, and your brain will function slower. You will be more fatigued, and the aches and pains you suffer will take longer to heal.

You may simply feel less hungry. Changing from three big meals to having more but smaller meals and eating slower can help. This can aid digestion too. A decrease in energy output can also cause this lack of appetite. Between the ages of 20 and 80, you have a 30% decrease in energy intake. As long as you are also decreasing in what energy you use, your weight and health should stay balanced. Lowering intake and upping your energy use, will result in being undernourished and losing weight.

In the elderly, this can be a loss in lean skeletal muscle that cannot be gained back as easily as someone in their youth. That affects reductions in muscle function; bone mass and cognitive function; anaemia; dysfunction of the immune system; slow wound healing and recovery from surgery, and consequentially an increase in both morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is vital as you age that you are taking in the right amount of energy that you need in your daily life.

Malnutrition in Elderly: Video

Increasing age also has several effects on gastrointestinal function: secretion of gastric acid, intrinsic factor and pepsin is decreased, which then reduces the absorption of Vitamin B6, B12, Folate, Iron and Calcium. These can be helped by staying away from foods that can upset any acid reflux such as onions, garlic, alcohol and coffee. It might not mean cutting them out altogether but limiting them to earlier in the day and in small amounts. Medications can also be taken to help.

If there is a case of malnourishment, doctors and dietitians will lead with a ‘food first’ approach meaning they will encourage you to eat frequent small meals that are high in energy, protein and the vitamins you are lacking. This is useful as it also teaches you what your body needs daily. However, it is not always possible as some malnourishment is caused by the inability to purchase food, prepare it or eat it physically. In this case, they will look into alternative treatments such as supplements.

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Common Nutritional Deficiencies

Here are a few common nutritional deficiencies in the elderly and some easy ways to help.

Vitamin D and Calcium

Our ability to take in Vitamin D decreases with age, so it might be good to take a supplement. Or increase your levels by eating more foods that contain it, such as egg yolk, butter, yoghurt and cheese. In your older years, you also need more Calcium to protect and repair your bones. They work together to protect your body.

Vitamin B12

As you age, you become less able to absorb Vitamin B12, so you need to up your intake either by eating more milk, beef and liver or by taking supplements as recommended by your doctor.

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Malnourishment/ Malnutrition

Malnourishment or malnutrition is a common nutritional problem in the elderly –  Either eating too much or too little!

You need to keep up the number of vitamins and minerals you are consuming throughout your life to keep your body safe from various diseases and illnesses. You can do this by eating things that have been fortified with extra vitamins and minerals. This means you are avoiding any empty calories by filling up on things that are good for you.

Protein is key in building, repairing and maintaining healthy bones and muscles. This becomes even more needed as you age and your body is put under strain by illnesses or by trips and falls.

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Meals

Nutritional Diet for the Elderly

It can be difficult to know what meals for the elderly should be. Or what a nutritional diet for the elderly looks like. Below are 14 nourishing and tasty ideas for you to try out.

The list includes all the nutrients you read about earlier in the article.

1. Scrambled eggs on brown toast
2. Porridge made with milk/alternative milk topped with chia seeds and fruit
3. Low-fat yoghurt with fruit
4. Soup, full of vegetables with brown bread
5. Cheese and crackers
6. Smoothies with lots of fruit and vegetables, milk or alternative milk, honey or flavoured protein powder, flaxseed or chia seeds
7. Low-fat yoghurt with nuts, seeds and fruit
8. Boiled eggs
9. Brown toast with banana and peanut butter
10. Grilled or baked chicken with sweet potatoes and your favourite vegetables
11. Grilled tuna or salmon with potatoes and salad or brown pasta
12. Omelette with cheese and vegetables
13. Low-fat custard with fruit and dark chocolate
14. Avocado on brown toast with salmon or mackerel

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Food

High Nutrition Foods for the Elderly

When looking at food for the elderly, there are a few high nutrition foods that can help you get what you need.

When choosing fruit and vegetables, be bold in your colour choices and try lots of leafy greens. Do not be scared to use frozen fruit and vegetables. They last much longer, especially if only using one portion at a time, much cheaper and yet just as high in nutrition as their fresh alternatives.

Fruits:

• Bananas
• Prunes, dates, raisins
• Kiwis
• Lemons
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Dried fruits

Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Avocadoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Leafy green vegetables
• Kale
• Sweet yellow peppers
• Chilli peppers
• Mushrooms

 Eating a diet rich in Fibre will help your digestive system to remain healthy, avoiding constipation or diarrhoea as well as preventing heart disease and diabetes. These will often also be carbohydrate-rich foods. Carbs are turned into glucose in our bodies during digestion and is a key fuel for our bodies but specifically our brain as it can’t use other types of fuel from fats or protein:

• Oats
• Brown pasta
• Seeded brown bread
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Sweet potatoes

 Eating a low-fat, fat-free or dairy-free diet will keep your heart and arteries healthy while still getting you the levels of calcium that you need:

• Almond milk
• Oat milk
• Skimmed milk
• Low-fat/Fat-free yoghurt and custard

 Eating seafood and fish a couple of times a week covers so many of the necessary vitamins and minerals we should be getting each week: Omega-3, Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12:

• Tuna
• Salmon
• Clams
• Mackerel
• Sardines
• Herring
• Trout

Chicken and eggs are relatively easy foods to incorporate into our daily routines and are high in protein, vitamin D and vitamin B12. As well as salmon and beans, they can be used during any meal of the day.

Avoid empty calories such as cakes, crisps and fizzy drinks, things that are pure sugar and give no nutritional value. Fill these gaps with fruit and vegetable snacks or things that have been fortified with extra vitamins and minerals such as cereals or smoothies.

Nutritional Needs for Elderly: Drinks

When thinking about drinks for the elderly, common nutritional drinks that can help you stay hydrated are water, tea, coffee or low-fat milk or dairy alternatives.

It is an easy thing to slip your mind, but here are a few ways to help you remember:

Keep a water bottle with you around the house or when you are on trips. Having it always, there is a reminder to drink. You can also buy bottles that will flash or beep after a certain amount of time as a reminder.

Another way to drink more is to use a straw or drink out of your favourite glass or mug. This just makes it a more enjoyable experience, and using a straw allows you to drink easier.

Another good option is to have smoothies. This not only hydrates, especially if you use coconut water, milk or alternative milk. It can also help you get those necessary vitamins, minerals and fibre.

You can throw any of your favourite fruits and vegetables into a smoothie. And it can also hide the flavour of your not-so-favourite fruits.

There are a few drinks to be careful with such as alcohol, coffee and drinks full of sugar. They do not have to be cut out completely but limit how much you ingest.

Sugar causes issues throughout your body. Alcohol puts pressure on your liver and kidneys. Coffee can affect acid reflux, the bowels as well as your sleep. When you are drinking fizzy drinks or orange juice, use a straw so that the juice is not sitting on your teeth.

If you are having any problems with drinking, with your mouth or with swallowing, please get in touch with your doctor. They will advise you on treatment options, to prevent you from becoming malnourished or dehydrated.

Nutritional Smoothies For Elderly People

Nutritional smoothies for elderly people are certainly one of those foods that are easy to make – no cooking needed – and they taste great too.

As an elderly person with little or no appetite to cook nor eat, smoothies are a great way to make sure you’re getting your fruit and vegetables for the day. They are a perfect alternative to the traditional meal. They also provide you with the vitamins and nutrients that you need to stay healthy.

Nutritional smoothies, unlike milkshakes, are usually made of mixtures of raw fruit and vegetables with optional added ingredients such as dairy products or nutritional supplements. Smoothies, milk and fruit juices provide more nourishment and can help increase your nutritional intake. It’s especially nutritious when you add milk or dairy to your smoothie, if you have reduced appetite. That way, you still get your needed nourishment.

Nutritious Protein Smoothie Recipes You’ll Love: Video

Smoothies are naturally high in fibre, thanks to all the fruity goodness. The various fruits and vegetables that go into making them provide a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Nutritional smoothies can also be purchased from almost any health food store or your local supermarket. The best place to buy one of these products, at these COVID times, is online, from your local supermarket. From the comfort of your own home. You will be able to find the best selection and prices there. And they can deliver to your home as well.

How Does Dental Health Affect Nutrition in the Elderly?

Dental health in the elderly can really affect your nutrition. For some, it isn’t easy to chew your foods. This can be due to tooth loss or pain and discomfort caused by dentures. If this is happening, then you will not want to eat, which leads to malnutrition. A dry mouth could also make it uncomfortable to eat and can be caused by certain medications.

Nutrition Care and Dental Health in Older Adults: Video

If this is the case, seek help from either your dentist or doctor. It might be that they move you on to an oral supplement diet, but first, they will do what they can to aid you in a ‘food first’ diet. The dentist might be able to fit you for dentures, in the case of tooth loss. Or they can help you find dentures that fit your mouth better if they are hurting you.

Having ill-fitting dentures can also cause anxiety when having to eat in front of others or in public. Getting these sorted with your dentist will help with any anxiety as well as your problems with eating.

Conclusion

Nutrition in the elderly is very important as poor nutrition can affect your whole body. Good nutrition, including nutritional foods and drinks, can help prevent certain illnesses and diseases. However, certain things can cause you to have bad nutrition from your dental health to the medications you take.

If you need extra supplements, your doctor will be able to tell you the best options and what strength you will need. Most things come in tablet form, which is not always easy to swallow. Check out BetterYou supplements which have alternative methods such as spray versions of various vitamins and minerals.

Marian Diamond, one of the founders of neuroscience, says there are five things to keep a healthy brain: diet, exercise, newness, challenge and love. I hope that this article brought these five things together in a way to help you with your nutrition, through food, drinks, and meals.