Blog > Nutrition for Elderly Adults: What is the Truth?

Nutrition for Elderly Adults: What is the Truth?

There are many myths surrounding nutrition and elderly adults. Due to these myths, many senior citizens can’t keep themselves healthy enough. If you are caring for an elderly adult, it is important that you and their elder care providers know the truth about proper nutrition.

Home Care in Lafayette CO: Senior Nutrition

Weight Gain or Weight Loss

Many senior citizens are convinced that weight gain or weight loss doesn’t matter after they are in retirement. The truth is that too much weight gain or too much weight loss does matter. For instance, significant weight loss could be a sign of other health issues such as thyroid disorders, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or even cancer. Weight gain could make certain health issues such as diabetes and heart disease much worse. If you are caring for an elderly adult, be sure they stay at a healthy weight without losing too much or gaining too much quickly.

Loss of Appetite is Normal

There are also many senior citizens that believe that loss of appetite is normal for elderly adults. This is another one of those myths. While many elderly adults do lose their appetite, it could mean much more than just normal aging. It is important to figure out the cause of this symptom. For instance, it could be a side effect from a medication or your loved one might have an infection. Getting to the root of this problem could help your loved one to get their appetite back.

Elderly Adults Don’t Need as Much Food

Another myth is that elderly adults don’t need as much food. This is not true. It is not safe for your elderly loved one to skip meals. This can cause problems in their blood sugar and increase the risk of falls. This is especially true if your elderly loved one has diabetes. While a senior citizen that isn’t as active might not need as many calories, they still need to eat the proper amount of meals and snacks.

Same Amount of Nutrients are Needed as Before

Many senior citizens believe that they need the same amount of nutrients as they did before. This might not be true. As someone ages, their body changes. Their body might not process minerals and nutrients as well as they used to. Due to this fact, you or your loved one’s elder care providers may want to talk to their doctor to see how many nutrients they should be getting daily.

These are some of the myths that surround elderly adults and nutrition. If you are caring for your elderly loved one, be sure to recognize the truth. This way you can help your elderly loved one to stay healthier.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering hiring Home Care in Lafayette, CO, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home today at 303-255-4071.