Eating Well in Old Age

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More Diet and Nutrition on Health & Wellbeing

Eating well in old age

Fact Files:

by Cassie W hite A healthy diet is important as we age, but for a host of reasons many older people are missing out on vital nutrients. Fortunately, there are simple and affordable ways to safeguard your diet.

Published 20/04/2011

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Food. It doesn't matter w hat age w e are, w e all need a healthy, balanced diet to stay fit and w ell.

But did you know that as w e become older, our dietary needs change? And yet, for a range of reasons, it becomes harder to ensure w e get enough of the nutrients w e need, such as calcium, zinc, and folate.

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This can cause problems ranging from a higher rate of infections to an increased risk of falls – and it can even mean you have a greater chance of dying at a younger age.

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Experts say the problem is only going to get bigger as Australia's elderly population grow s.

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"In terms of sheer numbers, the more older people there are, the more malnourished people w e're going to have,"says dietitian Associate Professor Karen Charlton, of the school of health sciences at the University of Wollongong.

"This is an issue that needs to be addressed earlier rather than later."

Risk factors Charlton says there are many reasons elderly people become malnourished, but people w ho are sick or live alone are more susceptible.

Some illnesses such as cancer can reduce appetite, Charlton explains. W hile many medications can increase our requirements for vital nutrients such as calcium or iron.

"Older people tend to use lots of prescribed medications and often they can interact w ith each other w hich can cause problems w ith nutrient absorption, digestion and appetite."

Depression and loneliness, especially after a period of bereavement, can also impact quite severely on a person's w illingness to eat, Charlton says.

Aside from health problems, for many older people social and financial issues can also be a reason they aren't eating the right foods.

"Often older people don't have as much money to spend on food as they did w hen they w ere w orking," Charlton says.

"The cost of food is increasing all the time, so that could be another reason that older people have a limited diet and may rely on foods that are cheaper. Also, an older person may not be mobile so can't get to the shops."

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Elsewhere on the web Older rehabilitation patients are at high risk of malnutrition: Evidence from a large Australian database Nutrition screening: Time to address the skeletons in the bedroom closet as w ell as those in hospitals Meals on W heels Australia Dietitians Association of Australia - malnutrition factsheet

Unfortunately, recognising malnutrition in yourself or a loved one isn't as easy as it may seem.

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Rapid w eight loss over the past three to six months is a good indicator that a person may be malnourished.

Over 50s

But Alison Bow ie, chief dietitian at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, says even people w ho are overw eight can be at risk.

"There are often no signs or symptoms; you can be a perfectly healthy w eight but still be malnourished. Some people can look overw eight and be malnourished, especially if they don't do much activity or have recently been unw ell," she says.

Malnourishment can lead to a range of health issues including: an increased risk of catching an infection an increased risk of bruising anaemia (a low red blood cell count, w hich can cause tiredness, headaches and other symptoms) poor w ound healing a longer recovery time after surgery a higher chance of falling (this is linked to several factors including loss of muscle tissue) converted by Web2PDFConvert.com

an increased risk of dying prematurely.

In sickness and in health Few researchers have examined the issue of malnutrition risk among older people living independently in the community, but Charlton says about 10 per cent are thought to be malnourished at a given time.

More attention has been paid to the problem of inadequate dietary intake in older people in residential aged care and also in hospital.

Charlton calls malnutrition a "skeleton in the closet" for many hospitals and says that it's often not considered a priority by medical staff due to heavy w orkloads and a lack of clarity about w hose responsibility it is to ensure patients are eating to meet their needs.

Charlton's ow n research last year found that on average, elderly people w ho are malnourished stay in hospital 18.5 days longer than those w ho aren't.

"There are lots of other competing assessments that take place w hen an older person goes to hospital. Studies from Australia and other places show that probably less than a quarter of malnourished patients are picked up by hospital staff," she says.

Meanw hile, a study published in 2009 found that up to 70 per cent of older people in residential aged care, such as nursing homes, may be malnourished.

Charlton says the reason people under care appear to be at higher risk of malnutrition than those w ho live in the community could be because these people are more likely to have illnesses, such as dementia w hich means they simply forget to eat.

Looking after yourself If you think you – or someone close to you – might be malnourished, it's w orth raising the issue w ith your (or their) GP w ho may decide a referral to a dietitian w ould be helpful.

How ever, some simple changes can make a big difference to the quality of your diet, and they don't have to cost a lot of money. There are also valuable services available that can help provide nutritious meals.

Things to consider include: Adding a little of a high fat food such as margarine to a potato to get more energy from a smaller amount of food.

Spreading peanut or other nut butters on crackers or raw vegies, and sprinkling chopped nuts or w heat germ on your cereal or yoghurt to increase the nutrient content.

Snacking on fruit or cheese as a betw een-meal snack, especially if large meals cannot be tolerated.

Bulk cooking w hen more expensive foods like meat are on special at the supermarket. Buying in bulk and splitting the cost of groceries w ith friends or family helps budgeting.

If you are unable to shop for groceries you may be able to qualify for assistance from a social w orker and should request an aged services assessment from the local hospital.

Linking into food services like Meals on W heels w hich provide nutritious meals for people on a budget.

Sharing meals w ith other people has been show n to increase intake due to social interaction. The local council may have a dining room w here you can join other older people to have Meals on W heels services.

More info Older rehabilitation patients are at high risk of malnutrition: Evidence from a large Australian database Balancing your diet - Fact File, ABC Health & Wellbeing, 25/04/2007 Nutrition screening: Time to address the skeletons in the bedroom closet as w ell as those in hospitals Meals on W heels Australia Dietitians Association of Australia - malnutrition factsheet

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mabetty :

21 Apr 2011 9:14:39am

Having been w idow ed about 18 months ago I have found eating healthy alone a real challenge. It is not about recipes, or understanding of nutritional needs but rather, it is about shopping; having a variety of foods available in the house that do not rot before you use them.

To address this problem I have searched the internet and have come up w ith some solutions that seem to be w orking. I have documented these on a blog so that my friends can use my ideas. The blog address is http://eatingalonew ithmabetty.blogspot.com/ I'm not old yet (only in my 60s) but I w ant to keep myself healthy for as long as I can.

Hope it helps.

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